Severa, head of the KDU-CSL group of deputies, told CTK that the KDU-CSL had agreed on this at its national congress this weekend. Under the present election law, a cabinet member can leave his/her seat in parliament only irreversibly. "The flexible mandate has been spoken about in the past eight to ten years," Severa said. He said the flexible mandate, if embedded in the election law, would enable ministers to focus on their work in the government, while the substitutes who would temporarily replace them in parliament would be full-fledged deputies who, unlike the ministers, could become members of lower house committees and other bodies. "This system works in Slovakia, they have good experiences with it," Czech Christian Democrats insist on public ballot ...
Czech PM convokes meeting to discuss presidential vote method ... Severa said. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) said he believed the flexible system has a number of pros but also implies risks. On the one hand, it would enable the ministers to focus on problems their sectors face.
On the other hand, however, the division of roles would partly break ties between the government and parliament, Topolanek said. The question is also whether the substitutes would be interested in becoming deputies for an uncertain period, he added. At its national congress the KDU-CSL also reportedly said it would give consent to the reform of the Czech police, promoted by Interior Minister Ivan Langer (ODS), only "if it does not lead to a privileged protection of the rich." Severa said the KDU-CSL is mainly concerned about the planned provision under which participants in road accidents would have to pay for calling in the police if the material damage incurred did not exceed 100,000 crowns. The KDU-CSL is also embarrassed by the Interior Ministry's plan to relieve the police of securing order at sport stadiums. According to the ministry, this is a task for the sport events' organisers. The KDU-CSL is afraid that lower-income people and less rich sport clubs might pay for such measures, Severa said, stressing that the constitution guarantees an equal approach to all citizens. The KDU-CSL wants to see to this principle being observed in practice, he added.
(Ceske Noviny)
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