Czech deputies to take no-confidence vote

The deputies in the lower house of Parliament will hold a vote of no-confidence on the coalition government on December 4. The chairman of the lower house Miloslav Vlcek convoked the extraordinary session at the request of the opposition Social Democrats. The vote on the government will be taken just one day before the vote on the draft state budget for 2008. The opposition Social Democrats and the Communists only have 98 votes; to topple the ruling coalition, they would need at least 101. It is not likely that they will succeed in winning over anyone from the ruling coalition.