Coalition to propose joint candidate to lead lower house

Civic Democratic Chairman, Mirek Topolanek, says that his party will no longer push for its own candidate to be elected chair of the lower house. Last Thursday, Civic Democratic candidate Miroslava Nemcova failed to gain enough support for the post in a secret ballot. The results of the vote cast doubt upon the three-party coalition between the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Greens, because not even all of the coalition MPs voted for Ms. Nemcova. Now Mr. Topolanek says that the coalition will propose a joint candidate—that person is expected to come from the ranks of either the Christian Democrats or the Greens. MPs will attempt to elect a new chair of the lower house on Friday.