Following a day of talks between President Vaclav Klaus and the heads of
the five parliamentary parties, leaders appear to have reached a deal
solving the first step in the political deadlock that ensued following
June's national election. Until now, MPs had not been able to agree on a
candidate for speaker of the lower house, blocking the political process,
and preventing the president from naming anyone prime minister.
The candidate to serve temporarily as speaker is Social Democrat MP
Miroslav Vlcek. If he is elected on Monday, President Vaclav Klaus will
then appoint Mirek Topolanek whose party, the right-of-centre Civic
Democrats won June's election, prime minister.
Mr Topolanek's party has been negotiating support for a minority
government this week among the Social Democrats.
Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek said on Friday that if his party's candidate
is elected, his government will likely hand in its resignation on Tuesday.
Mr Paroubek also confirmed that he would replace interim speaker Vlcek in
the post if Mr Topolanek heads the new government.