Lower house fails to elect new leadership

The lower house has once again failed to elect a new leadership. The centre right coalition's joint candidate for the post of speaker, Jan Kasal of the Christian Democrats, received just 99 votes of 200 on Friday morning. In contrast to last week's vote in which not all members of the Civic Democratic, Christian Democratic and Green Party coalition voted for Miroslava Nemcova of the Civic Democrats, Friday's vote secured the support of all members of the coalition. Civic Democratic MP Milos Patera who is recovering from a stroke was not present. Mr. Kasal's name had been put forward on the understanding that he would hold the post for a temporary period until a political agreement has been reached on the new government.