Civic Democrats call on Social Democrats to outline conditions for tolerance of coalition government

The right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party, which won the general election in June and recently signed a coalition agreement with two smaller parties, has called on the rival Social Democrats to outline conditions under which they would be willing to tolerate the emerging centre-right government. More than a month since voters went to the polls, the emerging coalition has been trying - but so far been unable - to break the political deadlock in Parliament. The coalition is one mandate short of a majority required to pass in a confidence vote. On Friday, the coalition - which includes the Greens and the Christian Democrats - again attempted to elect a candidate for speaker of the lower house, but was not successful. Rivals, the Social Democrats, have since repeated calls for a caretaker government to be formed instead of the proposed coalition - a position criticised by the Civic Democrats.