Social Democrats boot out rebel MP

The central executive committee of the Czech Social Democrat Party (CSSD) has expelled deputy Milos Melcak from its ranks for supporting the centre-right government in a parliamentary confidence vote last month. Mr Melcak was one of two social democrat deputies who defied party orders and abstained from a confidence vote in January, which enabled the current coalition government consisting of the centre-right Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Green Party to take power. The social democrat party has gone ahead with Mr Melcak's expulsion despite the fact that his local organisation in Zlin decided not to take any action against him. Mr Melcak has so far not commented on this latest development. He will be allowed to appeal the decision of the social democrat party's national conference in Brno next month. The other rebel social democrat MP Michal Pohanka has already resigned from the party of his own accord.