Cyril Svoboda to lead Christian Democrats

Cyril Svoboda has been elected leader of the Christian Democratic Party. Mr. Svoboda, former party leader and long-time minister in successive cabinets, has said he wants to restore unity and see the party do well in October’s early general elections. The party’s current leader Jiří Čunek dropped out in the first round of voting. The Czech Republic’s second oldest political party has been racked by infighting in recent months which has seen its ratings plunge. Former finance minister, Miroslav Kalousek a prominent member of the party, has announced he is leaving the Christian Democrats to form a new party.