Leaders of emerging coalition agree on programme, ministerial posts

The leaders of a proposed centre-right government of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens have agreed on a coalition programme and the distribution of ministerial posts. The right-of-centre Civic Democrats, which won most votes in the general election earlier this month, will hold ten seats in the cabinet, including the premiership. The two other parties will hold three seats each. Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek is slated to be the next prime minister; the head of the Greens, Martin Bursik, could be the country's next Environment Minister, and the leader of the Christian Democrats, Miroslav Kalousek, the Agriculture Minister.

While a new post of Minister without portfolio for European Affairs is to be introduced, the coalition is proposing the abolition of the Ministry for Information Technology and the Ministry for Regional Development. The coalition agreement is to be signed on Monday. Parliament is to begin meeting on Tuesday. Miroslav Topolanek expects a confidence vote on the new government to take place in about four weeks' time.