Senators reject move to curb president’s powers

The Czech Senate has rejected the coalition government’s proposal to abolish the president’s power to appoint and dismiss heads of permanent missions to international organisations. During a session on Wednesday, members of the upper house described such a measure as an unconstitutional change to the powers of the head of state.

If the government succeeds in passing the proposal in the Chamber of Deputies despite a Senate veto, its opponents will ask the Constitutional Court to repeal the amendment; it is part of legislation related to a controversial civil service law, which the Senate also rejected.