Leaders of two strongest parties to begin government policy programme negotiations

The leaders of the two strongest parties, Civic Democrat Mirek Topolanek and Social Democrat Jiri Paroubek, have agreed to start talks on a joint government policy programme. The politicians met for over an hour on Tuesday after the Social Democrats rejected the idea of a four party coalition including the Greens and the Christian Democrats but excluding the Communists that would serve until early elections in 2008.

In almost six months since the elections in June, the five parties in parliament have not been able to agree on the make-up of a new government. Under what they call Agenda 2010, the Social Democrats see a three-party coalition government with the Civic Democrats and the Christian Democrats - with a mandate until 2010 - as the best way out of political deadlock.

Author: Dita Asiedu