|
|
Change Your Life! |
Playwright turned President’s appeal |
|
News
|
|
|
July 18, 2000
PRAGUE (AP) - Czech President Vaclav Havel appealed to the constitutional court Monday, demanding that some provisions in a newly amended election law be abolished because they may violate the constitution, his spokesman said. Ladislav Spacek said Havel, who is vacationing in Croatia, signed the appeal Saturday and sent it to the court through his office Monday. The new amendment divides the country into 35 election districts, compared to the former eight and raises the threshold of votes needed before a coalition of political parties would be allowed to join the lower chamber of parliament. Before, a two-member coalition needed a total of at least 7 percent, a three-member coalition 9 percent and a four-member coalition 11 percent. The new ruling requires each party in a coalition to garner at least 5 percent of the vote in order to be allowed to join the lower chamber. Havel vetoed the amendment June 26, but parliament's lower chamber overruled his veto last week. Opponents of the law complain the law unjustly strengthens the role of big political parties. In his appeal to the court, Havel said some provisions of the new the legislation may contradict the constitution. The constitution states that elections to the lower chamber of the parliament are based on "the principles of proportional representation," and guarantees "free competition of political parties."
|