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A new poll by the SC&C agency suggests that two thirds of Czechs wish that President Vaclav Klaus be re-elected for a second term as head of state. According to the poll, President Klaus, who is 65, enjoys the strongest support among voters of the current centre-right government coalition of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Greens. Women, people with university education and younger people prevail among his supporters. The Czech President is elected by both houses of parliament. The next election is to be held in early 2008.

Trade and Industry Minister Martin Riman says that by 2010, more than eight percent of the energy consumed in the Czech Republic could be produced from renewable sources. Mr Riman said the country would therefore meet EU requirements. The share of so-called "green energy" on the Czech market was 4.5 percent in 2006.

The Czech Statistical Office has announced Czech industrial output rose by 7.6 percent in November on a year-on-year comparison after 12.8 percent in October. Output was 0.7 percent higher in November compared with the October figure, when the month-on-month rise was 1.2 percent. The transport equipment sector contributed most to the annual rise in production with output up 16.5 percent, followed by electrical and optical equipment, up 13.1 percent. The manufacture of basic metals and metal products fell by 2.2 percent over the year, the office added.

Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek has expressed the conviction that none of his party's MPs will back the country's newly-appointed government in an upcoming confidence vote. In his view, even MP Milos Melcak, who has remained "undecided", will in the end choose not to back or tolerate the centre-right coalition. On Saturday Mr Melcak indicated he might abstain from voting. Prime Minister Topolanek's centre-right government needs support from at least one opposition MP in order to remain in power, and some Civic Democrats have speculated that as many as seven opposition MPs could back the government. But, such claims have been rejected by Jiri Paroubek and others. At the weekend Mr Paroubek recommended that if any of his party's MPs did break ranks during Friday's vote, they should leave the party or risk expulsion.