WORLD : Czech Premier Leaves Party in Blow to Communist Prestige
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PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia — Premier Marian Calfa resigned from the Communist Party today, thus becoming the first non-Communist head of government in Czechoslovakia in 41 years, the official CTK news agency said.
Calfa, who announced his decision at a news conference, was the third Communist member of the Cabinet to quit the party in less than two weeks. Only seven Communists now remain in the 21-member Cabinet.
No explanation for the move was given.
Calfa’s resignation was seen as yet another blow to the prestige of the once all-powerful Communist Party. More than 200,000 of its 1.7 million members have quit the party since the former hard-line leadership was swept from power by massive pro-democracy demonstrations in November.
Czechoslovakia now joins Poland and Romania as the only East Bloc countries with a non-Communist head of government.
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