Hamáček facing challengers for top party job at congress

The chairmanship of the junior party in the Czech coalition government, the Social Democrats, will be contested at a national congress this weekend. Leader Jan Hamáček, who is minister of the interior, will face a challenge for the top job from Tomáš Petříček, the minister of foreign affairs, and Kateřina Valachová, a former education minister. Mr. Hamáček is favourite to retain the post of chair. The Social Democrats did poorly in regional and Senate elections late last year and some polls have suggested they may not reach the five-percent threshold necessary to make it back into the lower house.