Greens to support minority government in vote of confidence

At its Saturday meeting in Pardubice, the Green party leadership recommended that its MPs vote to support the minority Civic Democratic cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek during the October 3 vote of confidence in the lower house. Green party leader Martin Bursik already indicated in recent days that his inclination is to support Mr. Topolanek—a position now confirmed after Mr. Topolanek's Friday evening meeting with Green Party MPs, during which he reassured them that the Civic Democrats will not seek a grand coalition arrangement with the Social Democrats later this autumn. Analysts are predicting that it will be extremely difficult for Mr. Topolanek's government to win the vote of confidence, given that support from Civic Democrat, Christian Democrat, and Green Party MPs still only makes for 100 votes in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies.