Civic Democrats return to three-party proposal

Meanwhile, the Civic Democrats have proposed returning to previous negotiations on a three-party coalition made up of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens. The idea has now been revived in a fresh bid to form a viable government. At a press conference on Friday Prime Minister Topolanek said he was confident such a government - one backing essential reforms - had a chance of finding support in the lower house. He added that the three-party coalition concept had not been tested in a vote of confidence.

Civic Democrats, like the prime minister and the minister for regional development, have noted that that the government would need to be backed by a number of what they have called "constructively-minded" Social Democrats in order to pass in a confidence vote.