Social Democratic leader Jiri Paroubek wants to head the Parliament's lower chamber

Jiri Paroubek has invited the governing Civic Democrats to start negotiating about him possibly becoming the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies. The head of the opposition Social Democrats told the daily Mlada fronta Dnes that in exchange for Civic Democratic support of his candidacy, he is ready to discuss a number of issues to do with the Czech presidency of the European Union that will begin in January next year. Mr Paroubek denied, however, that he is willing to support Vaclav Klaus, the incumbent president and the honorary chairman of the Civic Democrats, at the next presidential elections.