Sobotka criticizes president, will continue to push for early elections

In related news, Bohuslav Sobotka, the head of the opposition Social Democrats, has told iDnes that even if the country’s caretaker government survives its confidence vote, he will continue to push for early elections. In an interview for the website, the party leader emphasised it was necessary to stop President Zeman from further expanding his influence, saying there hadn’t been a need to defend democratic principles so strongly prior to the existence of the current cabinet. Following the collapse of the last government, President Zeman ignored lawmakers – as well as parliamentary principles, according to some critics – by naming his close associate, Jiří Rusnok, prime minister. The Social Democrats are divided on the issue: some within the party maintain the caretaker government is better than a return by the centre-right.