Former Prime Minister Milos Zeman warns against a grand coalition

Former Prime Minister and one-time leader of the Social Democrats, Milos Zeman, has warned against the possibility of creating a grand coalition following the June elections. Speaking at the Social Democratic congress over the weekend, Zeman said that the Social Democrats should avoid a so-called opposition agreement with the right-of-centre Civic Democrats, and should instead opt for a minority Social Democratic government. Former Prime Minister Zeman speaks with a degree of experience, because following the 1998 elections he formed a government based on an opposition agreement made with the Civic Democratic Party.

Milos Zeman has also declared his support for the current Social Democratic Party leader, Jiri Paroubek, stating that he has the life experience and maturity that have sometimes been lacking in the past.