Klaus calls for local and senate elections on October 15

Senate and municipal elections will be held on October 15 and 16 of this year, the office of the president announced on Friday. Ballots will have to be compiled by August 10. Voters will elect 27 senators, or a third of the upper house, to six-year terms. Local government elections on the other hand affect all relevant bodies; the last such elections in 2006 saw more than 62,000 officials elected in 6365 municipalities. The president’s announcement of the election dates must still be endorsed by Prime Minister Jan Fischer.