Topolanek agrees with electing Social Democrat to run lower house

Civic Democratic Party leader, Mirek Topolanek, says that during the Wednesday morning talks President Vaclav Klaus proposed that MPs elect as a temporary chair of the lower house a member of the Social Democratic Party. Mr. Topolanek says that he supports the candidacy of a Social Democrat for the post, so long as it is a temporary solution and the mandate would be for a limited time period, as the president suggested. The Christian Democratic leader, Miroslav Kalousek, also agrees with this proposition. The Social Democratic Party will decide on its candidate for the post of chairperson of the lower house by Friday. It is expected that there will only be one nominee for the post, in accordance with what leading politicians have discussed with President Klaus.

Meanwhile, speaking after Wednesday morning's meeting at Prague Castle, Social Democratic leader Jiri Paroubek told reporters that President Klaus has not ruled out the possibility of asking him to try and form the next government. However, Mr. Paroubek also said that he is prepared to support a minority Civic Democratic government which would include a number of non-partisan experts.