Jiri Paroubek withholds resignation

The outgoing Social Democratic cabinet led by Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has decided not to tender its resignation quite yet. Last Wednesday, Mr. Paroubek announced that his cabinet would resign on Monday to make way for a new government, but after MPs failed to elect a new chair of the lower house last Thursday, President Vaclav Klaus said that he would not accept Mr. Paroubek's resignation for fear that it would create political instability. Mr. Paroubek has thus decided to wait, saying that there is no need for what he called "theatrical gestures."