Opposition Leader Admits Preliminary Elections Could Solve The Situation

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28 July 2006, 17:25 - Politics
After fifth unsuccessful elections of the President of Chamber of Deputies today, the leader of opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) Mirek Topolánek said that the situation tends towards preliminary elections. The winner of the June 2-3 legislative elections formed a proposal to coalition government with Christian Democrats and Greens, but ministers cannot be named before the end of constitutive meeting of the Chamber of Deputies.

Newly elected deputies are not able to choose their President thanks to stalemate situation. Proposed right-center coalition holds only 100 seats, while so-far-ruling Social Democrats (ČSSD) together with Communists have the other hundred.

Czech constitution says that the current government resigns after the end of constitutive meeting of Chamber of Deputies. First meeting cannot be officially ended before its President and other bodies are elected.

»The situation leads to preliminary elections, but nobody wants them,« said Topolánek.

Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek said that there is no reason to hold preliminary elections. According to polls and researches of public opinions this situation is not in favor of similar gains for him. His Social Democrats have most fluctuate and undisciplined electorate and tend to loose while turnout falls. And this is possible if the elections repeats.

Paroubek sees several options to choose from. For example, government of non-partisan experts with wide support across the lower chamber or minority government of ODS tolerated by ČSSD.

He thinks that current coalition proposal is unrealistic as well as »open« government coalition of ODS and ČSSD or grand coalition of all parties without Communists.

Time goes on, but the politicians have not been able to communicate any solution within last two month. Preliminary elections could be the solution, but nobody can guarantee that the outcome would be same as in June. Debate is held also on the change of the voting system. This would quite unrealistic because of such amendment needs to be supported by two third of deputies and senators.