PM Topolánek: elections should be held as soon as possible if government falls

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek told reporters on Monday that his party, the Civic Democrats, will push to have a general election on the earliest possible date if his government loses a no-confidence vote on Tuesday. Mr Topolánek rejected the idea of a caretaker government. The prime minister also turned down a proposal by the opposition that his government would remain in place until the end of the Czech EU presidency in June; Mirek Topolánek said he expected the president to name him, as the leader of the strongest party in the last election, to form a new cabinet.

The opposition Social Democrats have failed in four previous attempts to bring down the government in a vote of no-confidence.