Head of Green’s National Council resigns over search for new education minister

The search for a new education minister, which has been dividing the Czech Green Party for the last two months, has claimed another victim. Dalibor Strasky has resigned from his post as chairman of the Green’s National Council, unhappy with the lack of influence the council has been able to exert on the selection procedure. The head of the Green Party Martin Bursik has said that he wants the party leadership, alongside Green Party mps, to decide who should become the next education minister. He has dismissed the National Council’s favoured candidate, Olga Zubova, saying he would rather appoint someone with more experience in the education sector.

The post of education minister has been open since Dana Kuchtova resigned at the beginning of October. The search for a successor has split the Green Party, with some mps calling for Mrs Kuchtova to be reinstated. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has said that he wants the Greens to decide upon a candidate by the end of next week.