Leaders of emerging coalition agree on programme, ministerial posts

The leaders of a proposed centre-right government including the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens have agreed on a coalition programme and the distribution of ministerial posts. According to information released on Friday, the right-of-centre Civic Democrats will hold ten seats in the cabinet while the two other parties will hold three each. The coalition agreement is to be signed on Monday. Mirek Topolanek - the head of the Civic Democrats, the party that won the general election earlier this month - is slated to be the next prime minister, but individual names have not yet been disclosed. Some changes proposed by the coalition include the abolishment of two ministries: the Ministry for Information Technology and the Ministry for Regional Development. The coalition is also proposing a new post: Minister without portfolio for European Affairs.

Mr Topolanek said that a confidence vote on the new government - which lacks a majority in the 200-member lower house - could take place in about four weeks' time.