President Klaus receives leaders of Christian Democrats and Civic Democrats

As part of a round of new meetings with political party leaders, President Vaclav Klaus has met with Christian Democratic leader, Jan Kasal. The two men met at Prague Castle on Wednesday morning to discuss possibilities of forming a new government. Mr. Kasal told the press that the Christian Democrats are in favor of an agreement that would include the Social Democrats, because this is the only way to avoid depending on the support of the Communist MPs in the lower house. The Christian Democrats are in favor of what they are calling a "rainbow cabinet" that would join the Civic Democrats and the Social Democrats, with the Christian Democrats playing a key mediating role between the two largest parties.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Klaus also met with acting Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. Mr. Topolanek says that the two men did not discuss who the President will charge with the second attempt to form a viable government. Mr. Topolanek's aim is to find an agreement between parties that would lead the country to early elections. The Civic Democrats' position on early elections has been publicly supported by the Christian Democrats as well as by the Green Party and the Communists. Only the Social Democrats have not yet agreed with this strategy as a way to overcome the political stalemate.

Meanwhile, President Klaus has not expressed his preference in terms of a solution to the political stalemate, but he has indicated that he wants to see a government that will lead the Czech Republic to early elections, and be able to win a vote of confidence in the meantime. Mr. Klaus will continue individual meetings with party leaders until Friday, when he has invited all five parliamentary party leaders to a meeting at Prague Castle.