Czech major left-wing party CSSD hints it might support Rusnok government.

By bne IntelliNews July 24, 2013

The main Czech left-wing party Social Democrats (CSSD) suggested it might support the government of Jiri Rusnok in a confidence vote expected in early August as it seeks to prevent opponents from the former ruling centre-right coalition to return to power, CTK news agency reported.

The Czech President Milos Zeman appointed his long-time leftish ally Rusnok in late-June to form a new cabinet to replace the centre-right cabinet Petr Necas who resigned last month in the wake of bribery and spying scandal. Zeman’s move is considered as a power grab as he acted against the will of all parliamentary parties. After the collapse of Necas government, polls-leading CSSD has been seeking to dissolve the parliament and call early elections but it failed to get the needed majority of 120 deputies in the 200-seat assembly because the motion was supported by only 96 of the lawmakers in a vote on July 17.

After a meeting with Zeman, CSSD deputy group head Jeronym Tejc hinted that one of the conditions for supporting Rusnok’s government is the post of finance minister Jan Fischer. The latter has been under pressure to step down over the controversial funding of his failed presidential campaign earlier this year. CSSD wants by August 6 to decide whether it will back Rusnok’s cabinet or not. But even if CSSD and the Communists decide to lend Rusnok a helping hand, Zeman’s ally still falls short of a majority to win the confidence vote.

The former centre-right ruling coalition, the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09 and LIDEM, said they will not support Rusnok government and want Zeman to allow them to form a new cabinet to rule until regular general elections in May 2014.

In case Rusnok’s government fails to win a vote of confidence in the parliament, Zeman will have another try to appoint a government but it can take months to do so since there is no constitutional deadline for the President to appoint another PM. 

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