Social Democrats: MPs and Senators pressured to support Klaus

Preceding the vote, the Social Democrats accused the ruling Civic Democrats of pressuring MPs and Senators to support incumbent Václav Klaus. Before the third round of the presidential ballot, Christian Democratic senators Karel Barták and Josef Kalbáč were hospitalized due to health problems. Social Democratic MP Evžen Snítilý was taken to hospital from Prague Castle on Saturday morning due to exhaustion; several Social Democratic lawmakers told Czech TV that they had seen Interior Minister Ivan Langer and another MP from the Civic Democrats pressuring Mr Snítilý to support Václav Klaus in the decisive round. The condition of all three ailing lawmakers is reported to be stable.

Author: Jan Richter