Klaousek says he may found new centre-right party

Outgoing Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek has said he will found a new centre-right conservative party if what he called “socialist egalitarianism” continued in the Christian Democratic Party. He made the statement on a Sunday debate programme, but did not elaborate on whether the new party would take part in early elections set for October. He did make clear he would decide following the Christian Democrats’ leadership race in May. He himself is not running for the post of party chairman. Mr Kalousek has been at odds with his party and the current leadership on a number of issues, the last being the forming of the new interim cabinet. The Christian Democrats, under current leader Jiří Čunek, pulled out of an earlier agreement on the new interim cabinet.