Milan Chovanec says he offered to resign from party leadership

Social Democrat deputy chair Milan Chovanec, one of the party rebels who attempted to oust Bohuslav Sobotka from the party leadership last week, told Czech television on Sunday that he had offered Mr. Sobotka his resignation from the party leadership and that the offer had been refused. Chovanec said he was still ready to resign if it would help renew communication and restore unity within the party. The foiled coup against the party leader is being debated by the party’s regional branches and there have been calls for all five rebels to leave the party leadership. Party leader Sobotka has taken a benevolent line with Mr. Chovanec who was the first to speak out about a secret meeting with the president, helping to turn the situation around in favour of the embattled leader.