Gross to hold talks with leaders of opposition parties

The acting leader of the Social Democrats, Stanislav Gross, has announced plans to meet with opposition party leaders on next week, to sound out possible support for a new coalition government. On Saturday Mr Gross contacted the leader of the Communist Party, Miroslav Grebenicek, to set a meeting on Thursday; one day earlier he will meet with Miroslav Topolanek, the leader of the right-of-centre Civic Democrats. Mr Gross was asked by Czech president Vaclav Klaus on Friday to begin talks towards forming a new coalition government. However, negotiations so far have shown it will be difficult for Mr Gross to secure the 101 votes the new government will need to clinch a mandate in the chamber of deputies. The outgoing coalition government was based on the constellation of three parties relying precisely on the thinnest of majorities.

Mr Gross has said he would still prefer solving the government crisis among the Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Freedom Union, the last of which can no longer count on support of all its deputies' club members.

Meanwhile, junior government members, the Christian Democrats, have already announced they will not sit in any cabinet relying on tacit support from the largely unreformed Communist Party.