Czech president to ask right to lead talks -aide

By Alan Crosby

PRAGUE, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Czech President Vaclav Klaus will ask the rightist Civic Democrats to lead talks to end a stalemate in the lower house of parliament after their strong showing in a Senate election, his adviser said on Sunday.

The weekend Senate election had been seen as a test of strength for the Civic Democrats and rival leftist Social Democrats, which have been locked in a power struggle since inconclusive parliamentary elections in June.

Ladislav Jakl, Klaus's secretary and a top adviser, said that after the Civic Democrats won 16 of the 27 seats contested in the Senate vote, it was clear the party should take a lead role in ending the five-month long deadlock.

The Civic Democrats also won local polls held a week ago.

"It is almost certain that Mr President will be of the opinion that the solving of the current difficult political situation should be put in the hands of the Civic Democrats, the winners of the last election and the party which in these (Senate) elections was confirmed as the strongest party," Jakl said in a live debate on Czech television.

Civic Democrat leader and Prime Minister Miroslav Topolanek's minority government failed to win a confidence vote at the beginning of the month.

Klaus said he would wait until after the Senate polls before nominating a new candidate for prime minister, which could include the option of an interim government and early elections.

Topolanek has been pushing for early elections to end the stalemate in the lower house, where centre-right parties and leftist parties each control exactly half of the 200-seats.

He said earlier in the television show that if he were asked to lead talks on forming the next government, it would have to be a technocrat cabinet to lead the country to an early vote.

"I will not look to take the post of prime minister in such a government, and if such a government were to be formed under an agreement leading to early elections, we have no aspirations of being a part of it," he said.

The Civic Democrats want early elections next spring, but the Social Democrats, the second strongest party in parliament, have instead offered a grand coalition, which the Civic Democrats have rejected.

Social Democrat leader and former Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek told journalists Jakl's comments were a surprise since Klaus had been saying anyone chosen to lead the talks should be able to show they have a majority of deputies in parliament.

"It's like a bolt from the blue," said Paroubek, who has also called for a chance to try to form a government.

After three failed attempts to form a government, Klaus can then call early elections. If they are to be called before then, both the lower house and Senate must agree with a three-fifths majority to dissolve the lower house through a constitutional amendment. ((Reporting by Alan Crosby, editing by Elizabeth Piper; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: alan.crosby.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 477))

Keywords: CZECH POLITICS