Czechs Faced With Political Stalemate After Election

The Civic democrats, led by Mirek Topolanek, emerged as the biggest single party with 35.4 percent of the popular vote after the two-day election which wound up Saturday. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek's Social Democrats, seeking a third term in office, came in second with 32.3 percent, according to official results released by the Czech Statistical Office.

Although the Civic Democrats came out on top, they face a difficult challenge in putting together a government as right and left wing forces each won 100 seats in the 200-member lower house of parliament.

That task appeared to become even harder after his main election opponent, Social Democrat Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, said he would propose taking his party into opposition after eight years in power.

"I will support our move into the opposition," he said.

Such a move would rule out the creation of a German-style grand coalition between the two main parties, regarded as one way out of the the post-election deadlock. Topolanek accused Paroubek of "having an interest in a new election by questioning the last one."

The official results showed that the Civic Democrats won 81 seats and their Christian Democrat allies 13. With the probable support of six Green deputies the right could muster only 100 votes. The Social Democrats won 74 seats and the Communists 26. The Greens have said they will not join any coalition with the Communists.

Mulling the options

Communist leaders have already suggested forming a government of national unity, but such a step is unlikely as all other parties have ruled out coalitions with the communists.

"It is a complete deadlock," political analyst Jiri Pehe told AFP news service, adding that a German-style grand coalition between Topolanek's Civic Democrats and Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek's left-wing Social Democrats might be the only solution -- something both parties have said they would not do.

"The election campaign was extremely nasty. Politicians have dug trenches between themselves that are so deep it will be difficult to cross them now," Pehe said, adding Topolanek and Paroubek might have to step aside to make a coalition possible. He also said that the alternative was to hold new elections.

President favors conservatives

Without waiting for the count to be completed and the final allocation of seats to be announced, President Vaclav Klaus on Saturday said he would invite the Civic Democrats to launch negotiations over the formation of a government on Monday.

The head of the largest party in parliament is usually given the first chance to try and form a government.