Czech Government Loses No-Confidence Vote as Recession Bolsters Opposition

[marmar]

Czech Premier Topolanek Loses No-Confidence Vote (Update2)
By Andrea Dudikova and Radoslav Tomek


March 24 (Bloomberg) -- Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek lost a no-confidence vote after coalition and independent lawmakers backed the opposition’s bid to make him the latest political victim of the global economic crisis.

The opposition Social Democrats and Communists got 101 out of 197 votes in the 200-seat lower house of parliament today. Topolanek’s government, currently head of the European Union’s six-month rotating presidency, will stay in power until President Vaclav Klaus appoints a new administration or early elections are held.

“Most likely the Cabinet will function through the rest of the EU presidency and there will be talks on what will happen next,” said Vit Hlousek, a political scientist in Prague. “It’s clear that there will be early elections” but “it’s not clear when. A realistic time is the fall of 2009.”

Topolanek, who took office after an election in 2006 as the head of a three-party Cabinet, lost the vote as the economy heads toward a recession and government spending plans are under pressure. The coalition struggled to govern as it relied on independent or opposition lawmakers for a majority. It was able to push through some tax and health-care changes, though not the wide-ranging overhaul it promised. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aVl0DGK1eLis&refer=home

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. Good. I hope that this ends the missile shield nonsense.

[Idealism]

2. Hopefully the Social Democrats can get back into power and get this DINO kicked to the curb.

[tama]

3. "as the economy heads toward a recession"

Gimme a brake - it's a global depression and has been for a while.