Coalition leaders meet for final round of talks

The leaders of the Civic Democratic Party, TOP 09 and Public Affairs are meeting on Sunday night to debate the end of the coalition agreement. Following the split of the scandal-tarred junior party Public Affairs the Civic Democrats and TOP 09 say they do not wish to continue to rule with the faction around the party’s founder and informal leader Vít Bárta. The future of the government now depends on whether Deputy Prime Minister Karolína Peake, who last week defected from Public Affairs, can rally enough deputies behind her to set up a faction and ensure a “safe” majority for the ruling coalition.Prime Minister Petr Nečas has given her until Monday to produce her new “team”.

Although this meeting of coalition leaders in its present set-up is the last, the coalition will not be officially dissolved until the executive council of the Civic Democratic Party votes on the matter on Monday.