Czech PM wins strong backing from party congress

PRAGUE, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek won the backing of his rightist Civic Democrats in a leadership vote on Sunday, giving him a strong mandate as he holds talks with other parties on forming a government.

More than 70 percent of delegates at the weekend convention in Prague voted to give Topolanek another two-year term as party leader. He needed a simple majority of votes and ran uncontested.

"I take this as a strong mandate," he said.

Centre-right and leftist parties have been locked in a bitter battle since a June election left each side with 100 seats in the lower house of parliament.

Topolanek, whose party won the most seats, formed a minority government but failed to win a confidence vote in early October.

President Vaclav Klaus, however, has asked the engineer and former businessman to again try to form a cabinet.

Topolanek said he will hold a second round of talks beginning on Monday with leftist rivals, the Social Democrats, the centrist Christian Democrats and the Green Party on forming a broad coalition government with a limited term.

"I will push for the creation of a government committed to reforms, or, if that doesn't happen, early elections," he said.

The Social Democrats, who finished second in the election, have said they would listen to Topolanek's offer, and that if the parties can agree, a government could be formed in the next two weeks, ending the five-month stalemate.

If Topolanek fails again, the third prime minister is chosen by the speaker. ((Reporting by Alan Crosby, editing by Janet Lawrence; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: alan.crosby.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 477))

Keywords: CZECH POLITICS TOPOLANEK