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The country's main opposition party, the right wing Civic Democrats overwhelmingly re-elected Mirek Topolanek party leader at a national conference over the weekend. In a rousing speech to the assembly Topolanek vowed to lead the party to victory in the next parliamentary elections, in June of 2006. With the Civic Democrats far ahead in the polls and having scored decisive victories in the Senate, regional and European elections, Topolanek is a strong candidate for prime minister. He was recently voted one of the country's most popular politicians.

Meanwhile, the head of the ruling Social Democratic Party Stanislav Gross attempted to rally the weakened and divided party for a crucial confrontation with their main rivals in the remaining 18 months to elections. At a meeting of the party's executive leadership, Gross unveiled an eight-point plan which should help the Social Democrats to regain lost ground and restore public trust. Stanislav Gross strongly emphasized his party's pro-EU policy, warning Czechs that the right wing Civic Democrats would plunge the country into political isolation.

President Vaclav Klaus has said he is appalled by the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate the Senate elections in the Prague 11 constituency. The court ruled on Friday that the elections in that constituency were invalid and would have to be repeated because the election campaign had been conducted in a dishonest manner, in violation of the election law. One of the unsuccessful candidates in the elections said he had been damaged by slanderous articles in the press. President Klaus described the decision of the Supreme Court as "a dangerous precedent" and "intervention into the country's political freedom", adding that mud-slinging in the press was not unusual in the run up to elections and was no reason to invalidate them.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Pavel Nemec said he understood the Court's decision and urged the President to think about the rules of fair play. He said that in criticizing the Court's decision, Vaclav Klaus had acted like a party leader, rather than a president.

Meanwhile, the head of the ruling Social Democrats Stanislav Gross attempted to rally the weakened and divided party for a crucial confrontation with their main rivals in the remaining 18 months to elections. At a meeting of the party's executive leadership, Gross unveiled an eight-point plan which should help the Social Democrats to regain lost ground and restore public trust. Addressing speculation about the possible return of the one time party leader Milos Zeman, Gross said that this could not benefit the party and that in the present day Zeman had little to offer besides criticism and bitterness. Zeman has repeatedly blamed Gross for the party's poor showing in elections and its slide in popularity.