Social Democrats to bring vote of no-confidence next week

MPs from the opposition Social Democratic Party are to initiate a vote of no-confidence in the cabinet next week. The Chairman of the Social Democrats, Michal Hasek, told journalists that the no-confidence vote would be called when the next reading of the 2008 state budget took place on December 5. The Social Democrats are expecting to receive the support of the Communists in the no-confidence vote, and Mr Hasek said that ‘talks were underway’ with MPs from other parties as well. The Social Democrats and the Communists together have 98 deputies in the Czech Lower House. At least 101 votes would be needed for the no confidence motion to be passed. The government last faced a vote of no-confidence in June of this year, which it survived intact. This current vote of no-confidence has been brought as a response to the public finance reform package which the government approved in August, and to which the Social Democrats are opposed.