Social Democrats to back Svejnar for president - if he can garner broad support

The opposition Social Democrats will nominate economist Jan Svejnar for president if he can secure support across the political spectrum. The Social Democrats' Milan Urban said they would give him until December 8, when the party will again discuss their candidate, to speak to the other parties in parliament. If those talks prove successful, Mr Svejnar will face the incumbent Vaclav Klaus in bi-cameral elections due in early February. Senior Social Democrats say they believe the respected academic could find some support within Mr Klaus's party the Civic Democrats.

The Greens, the smallest party in the governing coalition, said on Saturday that they would back Mr Svejnar if he runs for president.

Jan Svejnar, who is 54, is based in the United States, where he has spent most of his life. He was an economic advisor to former Czech president Vaclav Havel for almost a decade.