PM to announce cabinet reshuffle on January 5

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, has said he would announce a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, January 5. The prime minister made the statement on national television just hours after his government took over the rotating presidency of the European Union. Changes in the centre-right government have been on the cards ever since the coalition government suffered a humiliating defeat in October’s regional and Senate elections. Although the government has been able to push through plenty of reforms since taking office its razor thin majority recently crumbled, leaving it dependent on support from a number of rebels and independents.