June 9, 2009: Several Leading Figures Leave Czech Christian Democrats

A number of high-profile personalities leave the Czech Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL). The first to go is former party chairman Miroslav Kalousek, who has already announced his intention to leave and form a new party, to be called TOP 09. He is followed by lower house deputy, Vlasta Parkanova, who intends to follow Kalousek into TOP 09, her colleague Pavel Severa, and Senator Ludmila Mullerova. The exits mean that a total of five deputies have recently left the party. “Today I left the party and handed over my party card,” says Kalousek, adding that the KDU-CSL’s deputies club can throw him out if it wants. Whereas Severa says he is upset at the recent election of Cyril Svoboda to the position of party chairman, because of personal issues—in particular a property dispute—Svoboda is involved in, Parkanova is unhappy over an apparent move by the party to the left. [Novinky(.cz), 6/9/2009]