Civic Democrats and Social Democrats hold government talks live on TV

In a live televised discussion with representatives of the three parties in the new government, Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek said his party would neither tolerate nor support the coalition with a confidence vote. The government of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Green Party, which was appointed on Tuesday, has to gain a vote of confidence within the next month. But it holds only half of the 200 seats in the lower house of Parliament and needs at least one vote from a Communist or a Social Democrat deputy.

Though the leaders of both parties have said they would not support the coalition, two Social Democrat MPs - Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka - have not made it clear whether they share their party's official stance.