Coalition talks start among Czech centre-right parties

THREE CZECH centre-right parties have started coalition talks despite finishing behind the centre-left Social Democrats in the country’s two-day general election.

Voting on Friday and Saturday gave the Social Democrats 56 of the 200 seats in parliament, three seats more than the conservative Civic Democrats (ODS) but well short of what they need to form a strong government, and apparently resigned them to seeing an alliance of their rivals take power.

“It looks like people may have chosen a different path from what the Social Democrats offered,” said party leader Jiri Paroubek. “We expected a better result . . . This country is on the way towards a right-wing coalition.”

Mr Paroubek said he would resign as party leader after the majority of voters failed to support his plan to raise taxes and root out corruption as a way to cut a growing budget deficit while also paying for improved benefits.

In combination with potential coalition partners TOP09 and Public Affairs parties, the ODS would have 118 seats, giving it a solid platform to push through the cost-cutting measures it says are vital to shrink the country’s debt and deficit and to avoid a “Greek-style” funding crisis.

“Voters gave us a big opportunity to create a coalition of budgetary responsibility,” said ODS leader Petr Necas. “It’s good news for the Czech Republic that responsibility won over populism, and that the Czech left was not allowed to take power,” he added. “It is great news that will allow the Czech Republic to avoid a repeat of the Greek scenario.”

Mr Necas was quick to launch coalition talks with TOP09 chief Karel Schwarzenberg and Public Affairs leader Radek John.

“These discussions, which for the moment are informal, confirmed the common will of our parties to work on this project,” Mr Necas said. “We are on a good path.”

Mr John, a popular former television host, said he was “convinced” that the three parties could forge an alliance after a ballot that highlighted widespread disillusionment with the Social Democrats and ODS, who both attracted more than 10 per cent fewer votes than in the 2006 general election.

Both TOP09 and Public Affairs were formed only in the last year, and benefited from a series of scandals and squabbles that beset the more established parties, brought down the ODS government and left the Czech Republic to be ruled by a non-partisan, caretaker administration since May 2009.

Four party leaders said they would resign after poor performances in the election.

Despite finishing second with a drastically reduced number of seats, new ODS chief Mr Necas (45) is now poised to become prime minister.

“It’s almost certain that there will be a centre-right coalition, which would mean that, for the first time since 1996, there will be a government with a strong majority,” said analyst Jiri Pehe.

“It will also be a government that will have a quite coherent right-wing programme, a government that wants to make budget savings.”