Lower house chairman to resign at the end of the month

The provisional Social Democrat chairman of the lower house Miloslav Vlcek has said he would, with all probability, resign from his post on January 30th. Before his election to the post of chairman Mr. Vlcek pledged to give up the job if two attempts to form a government failed. That was because it is the chairman of the lower house who will have the task of selecting a prime minister designate for the third attempt and, as a Social Democrat, Mr Vlcek's choice would be open to allegations of a party bias. The parliamentary parties will need to reach some kind of consensus on who should succeed Mr. Vlcek and select the next prime minister.