Politics: Leaders of ODS and CSSD to meet today

Leaders of the Civic Democrats (ODS) and Social Democrats (CSSD) are to meet today for the second time. Note that the centre-right coalition (ODS, Christian Democrats and the Greens) have only 100 seats in the Parliament while need 101 to win the vote of confidence. The first constitutive meeting of the parliament is scheduled for June 27 (Tuesday), which may also provide a date for the vote of confidence. ODS’s leader, Mirek Topolanek said himself that he gives the centre-right coalition 50-50% chance of surviving. The program of the centre-right includes among others flat income tax rate (personal and corporate) and no extension of nuclear capacities for the next 4 year and preservation of the mining limits (forced by the Greens). Note that CSSD has been strictly opposing the flat tax rate and is in favour of extending mining limits and building more nuclear capacities (like ODS). Therefore, we expect that the centre-right will not get the vote of confidence and that a grand-coalition (ODS-CSSD) and CSSD’s support of a minority Government (ODS) is likely.