Last session of lower house scheduled for May 18

The last regular session of the lower house ahead of May’s general elections should be held on May 18. On the agenda is a bill recently vetoed by President Klaus which would raise maternity benefits to 2009 levels, a controversial-anti-corruption package which left-wing parties have been trying to push through and which right wing parties oppose on the grounds that it has been poorly drafted, and a bill which would enable the president to be elected in a direct vote. Of those, the bill on maternity benefits stands the highest chance of gaining approval, in which case the presidential veto would be overturned. Any bills that are not passed in three readings by the lower house by May 18th will simply fall under the table.