Civic Democrat leadership calling for greater party discipline

The ruling Civic Democratic Party is putting pressure on rebel deputies after they torpedoed a bill on social benefits in Parliament. The party leadership on Tuesday called on regional leaders to bring the five rebels to heel, suggesting that they should think about expelling members who thwarted the party line. The rebel deputies, meanwhile, insist that they are fully entitled to vote according to their conscience and claim that dialogue would produce better results than attempts to intimidate them. So far none of the regions has indicated that it is considering acting on the advice of the party leadership to expel members for disobedience.