Freedom Union MPs support Sokol

Deputies belonging to the right-of-centre Freedom Union, the smallest party in the ruling coalition, have pledged their support for the government's candidate for president Jan Sokol. Mr Sokol, a former Education Minister and now university professor, held an hour of talks with the Freedom Union MPs on Thursday, ahead of next week's third attempt in parliament to try and elect a new president. Observers say Mr Sokol has a good chance of being elected, although everything depends on how many members of the senior coalition Social Democrats will give him their vote.