Vladimír Mečiar, the leader of the opposition HZDS party, emerged victorious from a weekend showdown with party rebels led by vice-chair Vojtech Tkáč, who had objected to Mečiar's authoritarian leadership.
Although Tkáč resigned his party function and urged other HZDS members to follow him, none did, and Mečiar emerged from the January 11 meeting of the party's national council with the strong support off grass roots members.
Political analysts said that despite fending off Tkáč's challenge, Mečiar remained politically and internationally isolated, due largely to his controversial record while in office as PM from 1994-1998.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
