Social Democrats say no to a coalition with TOP 09 or Civic Democrats

Chairman of the Social Democratic party Bohuslav Sobotka was confirmed as the party’s candidate for prime minister in the general elections, in an anonymous vote at the Saturday meeting of the party’s leadership. The vote was proposed by the chairman of the Senate Zdeněk Škromach, with 86 delegates voting for the current party leader and 51 against him. Mr. Sobotka also said tat the meeting that the Social Democrats would not enter into a coalition with either of the biggest right-of-center parties – the Civic Democrats or the TOP 09 party. In case the party wins at least a third of the votes in the October general elections, Mr. Sobotka said he can envision a creating a single-party minority government.

Author: Masha Volynsky