Social Democratic parliamentarians vow no coalition support

All 74 newly-elected Social Democratic MPs have vowed not to support a government coalition made up of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Green Party if such a coalition is led by the Civic Democratic Chairman, Mirek Topolanek. This declaration has been signed by all the new Social Democratic MPs and is important because Mr. Topolanek needs to push the balance of support to 101 seats, rather than the proposed coalition's current mandate of 100 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Social Democratic leader, Jiri Paroubek, is in favour of a caretaker government, though he admits that if he were entrusted with forming a government he would aim for a political government, and not the caretaker variety. Meanwhile, deputy chairman of the Social Democrats, Bohuslav Sobotka, has said that the Civic Democratic Party should rid itself of the illusion that it will secure the number of votes possible to govern.

A vote-of-confidence in the new government is expected to take place on June 27th.