The right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party, which won the general election
in June and recently signed a coalition agreement with two smaller
parties,
has called on the rival Social Democrats to outline conditions under which
they would be willing to tolerate the emerging centre-right government.
More than a month since voters went to the polls, the emerging coalition
has been trying - but so far been unable - to break the political deadlock
in Parliament. The coalition is one mandate short of a majority required
to
pass in a confidence vote. On Friday, the coalition - which includes the
Greens and the Christian Democrats - again attempted to elect a candidate
for speaker of the lower house, but was not successful. Rivals, the Social
Democrats, have since repeated calls for a caretaker government to be
formed instead of the proposed coalition - a position criticised by the
Civic Democrats.