Parliamentary speakers call for earlier elections

Speakers of the two Czech chambers of parliament have called for elections to the lower house to be held before the end of May. Their call came following a New Year’s meeting with Czech President Václav Klaus on Tuesday. President Klaus said on Monday that he favoured calling a vote at the latest possible date, on May 28 -29.

But speaker of the upper house, Přemysl Sobotka, said he would prefer the vote a week earlier. His lower house counterpart, Miloslav Vlček, suggested the date should be around May 15. They argue an earlier election would give more time for a new government based on a political mandate to replace the current caretaker administration. One of the main tasks of the new government will be to decide on a budget for 2011.