Social Democrats to put candidate selection method to party referendum

The leadership of the Social Democrats plans to put changes to how the party is run to a referendum of members by June, the prime minister and party chairman Bohuslav Sobotka said on Saturday. One issue that will be put to the vote is whether to introduce a system of primaries so that the establishment of lists of electoral candidates is no longer in the hands of local party bosses, he said after the Social Democrats’ first ever conference specifically dedicated to drawing up reforms. Mr. Sobotka also told reporters the party wished to become more attractive to specialists in various fields in a bid to boost their appeal.