Prague mayor resigns as party leader in capital

Prague’s Civic Democrat mayor Pavel Bém resigned on Sunday as party chairman in the capital. The move follows the centre-right party being beaten into second place in lower house elections in the capital by the Top 09 party. Headed by party leader Karel Schwarzenberg, TOP 09 won 27.3 percent of the votes against the Civic Democrats 24.8 percent. A meeting of party bosses in the afternoon accepted the resignation offer. Civic Democrat leader Petr Nečas said during a television debate earlier that the offer was a logical and correct step. He said the party’s most dramatic fall in support nationwide took place in Prague.

Author: Chris Johnstone