Social Democrats, Freedom Union to decide leadership this weekend

The leadership of two of the three parties in the governing coalition will be decided this weekend, with most attention focused on the battle for the top post in the Social Democrats. Party chief Vladimir Spidla faces a vote of confidence on Saturday - if he is loses and is replaced by challenger Stanislav Gross, Mr Spidla says he will also step down as prime minister and bring down the government.

Meanwhile, the smallest party in the coalition, the Freedom Union, are choosing a new leader, after Petr Mares resigned in the wake of their disastrous showing in European Parliament elections. The man most likely to succeed Mr Mares is Local Development Minister Pavel Nemec. Mr Nemec is in favour of the Freedom Union remaining part of the government, though the issue is sure to be hotly debated at this weekend's party conference in Hradec Kralove.