Topolanek: emerging coalition close to signing agreement

The leader of the right-of-centre Civic Democrats, Mirek Topolanek has said his party is close to signing a coalition agreement with the Christian Democrats and the Greens. After a meeting of the newly elected MPs for the Civic Democrats on Tuesday, Mr Topolanek also said his party is not considering forming a minority government tolerated by the Social Democrats, the second biggest party in parliament, but he did not rule out the possibility either. The emerging three-party coalition would be one seat short of a majority in the lower house and would need support from the opposition to win a vote of confidence in the lower house.