Coalition talks on government’s future

The leaders of the three ruling parties will meet on Tuesday for talks on the future of the centre-right government, after a crisis precipitated by the junior Public Affairs party brought it to the brink of collapse. The smallest party in government has demanded far-reaching concessions from its coalition partners, including a revision of the government’s policy programme and a reduction of the number of ministries as an alternate cost-cutting measure. The prime minister’s Civic Democrats and TOP 09 have indicated that while they are prepared to make some concessions the government’s main fiscal policy goal – a gradual reduction of the deficit in public finances – is not negotiable. A break-down of the talks on Tuesday would open the way for early elections. Czech TV reported over the weekend that both the Civic Democrats and TOP 09 have been preparing for such a possibility.