Prague, Nov 1 (CTK) – MPs of the smallest parties in the lower house of Czech parliament, the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), TOP 09 and Mayors and Independents (STAN), will cooperate on the level of their deputy groups’ experts, the parties’ representatives told reporters after their meeting on Wednesday.
The KDU-CSL leadership is yet to debate possible joint nominations for the leaderships of the Chamber of Deputies and its committees, KDU-CSL deputy head Jan Bartosek and STAN deputy group head Jan Farsky told reporters.
“This does not mean a merger of the deputy groups and parties. Each deputy group will meet solo,” Bartosek pointed put.
However, joint meetings may take place before lower house sessions, for instance, to discuss bills.
“This will not mean joint voting. The decision will be up to individual deputies,” Farsky said.
Bartosek said each party in parliament should have its representative in the lower house election commission, whose members were counting votes in secret ballots, and in the mandate and immunity committee.
At Wednesday’s meeting, TOP 09 chairman Miroslav Kalousek presented his plan to prevent the formation of a minority government headed by Andrej Babis, chairman of the winning ANO movement. It is based on blocking the election of the head of the Chamber of Deputies at its constituent meeting.
Farsky said STAN had not changed its mind as far as this plan was concerned. Before the meeting, STAN representatives called it infeasible and “a cry in the dark.”
The Christian Democrats will comment on Kalousek’s plan only after a meeting of their broader leadership, Bartosek said.
They expressed a sceptical stance on this idea previously.
The KDU-CSL has ten, TOP 09 seven and STAN six mandates in the 200-seat lower house, while ANO has 78 seats, the second Civic Democrats (ODS) 25, the Pirates and the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) 22 each and the Social Democrats (CSSD) and Communists (KSCM) 15 each.
