Schwarzenberg to continue to head TOP 09 party

Prague, Jan 27 (CTK) - Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, loser of the Czech presidential contest to leftist candidate Milos Zeman, will defend the post of leader of TOP 09, as he will have no rival at the party's congress, TOP 09 deputy chairman Miroslav Kalousek told Czech Television (CT) yesterday.

Schwarzenberg is to lead TOP 09 even in the next elections, Kalousek said, adding that Schwarzenberg, aged 75, could be the prime minister.

"The Czech Republic, that has wasted a historical chance of having Schwarzenberg as its president, still has a significant chance of having him as its prime minister," Kalousek said.

The regular elections to the Chamber of Deputies are scheduled for 2014.

After Schwarzenberg recognised his defeat by Zeman on Saturday, he announced he would seek the post of party leader again.

Schwarzenberg is now the party leader, but some observers say Kalousek is the informal TOP 09 leader as he voices position on most political issues on behalf of TOP 09.

The congress of TOP 09 is planned for October 19-20 in Plzen, west Bohemia.

TOP 09 nominated Schwarzenberg, a former head of president Vaclav Havel's office, as its presidential candidate. He received 45 percent of votes in the presidential runoff on Saturday.