Poll: Most Czechs say MPs should resign if they leave party

By ČTK / Published 27 June 2008 Prague, June 26 (CTK) - Nearly three-fourths of Czechs (73 percent) are against MPs keeping their mandate if they leave their political party, according to the latest STEM agency's poll for the public Czech Television (CT) released Thursday. The remaining 27 percent considered it acceptable if an MP left a party and kept his/her mandate. Some 40 percent said they believed that the departure of MP Petr Wolf from the Social Democratic Party (CSSD) last weekend was motivated by political corruption. One-third share the view that Wolf left the CSSD because he disagreed with the party's leadership and one-fourth said they believed that Wolf had personal reasons to leave. The Social Democrats have already lost four MPs since the 2006 general election. Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka left the CSSD... [read full story]