Green Party losing rank-and-file members

The Green Party of the Czech governing coalition is facing a wave of resignations by rank-and-file members who are dissatisfied with the party leadership. Close to half of the party’s registered members have left the Greens in the wake of a stormy confrontation between its leadership and an opposition fraction over the weekend. Four members were expelled for openly opposing the leadership, triggering calls for a new party which would be more active in support of Green issues. The Interior Ministry has confirmed that it received an official request for the registration of a new Green party with a thousand signatures from potential members. Dana Kuchtová, one of the four expelled rebels, has distanced herself from the initiative, saying there was not enough room for two Green parties on the Czech political scene.