MPs frown on Senate committee’s proposal to strip president of his powers

MPs in the lower house are critical of the idea that President Miloš Zeman should be stripped of his powers on the grounds that he is unfit for office, the news site Novinky.cz reported. The Security and Defence Committee of the Czech Senate this week declared President Miloš Zeman unfit for office and proposed that he be stripped of his powers. It claims that the Czech head of state is often disoriented, incapable of distinguishing between classified and public information and jeopardizes the country’s security by his words and actions.

Such a move would have to be sanctioned by both houses of Parliament. Most parties in the lower house, including opposition parties critical of Miloš Zeman, say they would not support such a motion. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said there was no question that Miloš Zeman is capable of fulfilling his duties.