Communist Party top candidate comments on election success

In the first ever European Parliament elections in the Czech Republic, the largely unreconstructed opposition Communist Party took second place with 20.26 percent, or six seats out of the 24 available for Czech Euro-MPs. Pavla Horakova asked the Communists' number one candidate, Miloslav Ransdorf, why he thought his party was so successful in the election.

Miloslav Ransdorf and Vladimir Remek, photo: CTK

"We are the alternative to the political strategy of the Social Democrats. The Social Democrats had presented incorrect information to the public at the time of the referendum. So many people are disappointed and so in a protest vote they have chosen the Communist Party."

The parties of the ruling coalition have suffered a crushing defeat. Do you think the government should respond in some way to the election results?

"I am pleased that Mr Spidla has drawn moral consequences from this defeat. He's now convoking the Central Executive Committee of the Social Democrats and he will ask for a vote of confidence. But his guilt is evident in this defeat because this economic strategy, namely the reform of public finances is reducing the domestic market and the aggregate demand. And at a very vulnerable time of our involvement in the European Union it is a mistake."