Coalition negotiators agree to draw up proposal on direct election of president

Negotiators from the three parties aiming to form a centre-right government have agreed to work on a proposal for the direct election of the head of state. The leader of the right-wing Civic Democrats, Petr Nečas, said on Thursday that talks with the conservative party, TOP 09, and the Public Affairs party had resulted in agreement to draw up a proposal for citizens to elect the president in future. At the moment, the president is elected by members of both houses of parliament. Mr. Nečas said that he personally was in favour of safeguarding the current system but was prepared to accept a compromise proposal on direct elections. Party leaders have not agreed whether the president’s powers should be strengthened to accompany such a change. TOP 09 head Karel Schwarzenberg said the president’s powers should be revised but Mr. Nečas said he saw no need for such a change.