Czech PM says has majority ahead of key vote

...eight months of political gridlock that followed an inconclusive election.

Topolanek's three-party coalition government holds half of the 200 seats in the lower house, and needs a simple majority of those present to win the vote.

He told journalists that two rebel leftist deputies -- Milos Melcak and Michal Pohanka -- had agreed they would abstain from the vote, meaning the government's 100 seats would be enough to win. The two deputies were present at the news conference and confirmed the prime minister's statement.

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]