Prague - Czech political leaders held an emergency meeting with president Václav Klaus after the Czech Constitutional Court put a temporary halt to early general elections on Tuesday.
The court is set to examine a complaint filed by a Czech lawmaker Miloš Melčák, which claims that the decree shortening the his four-year term in office is at odds with the Constitution.
Head of the court, Pavel Rychetský, has announced that the next session will be held on September 10. There is a possibility the court will issue a ruling on Melčák's complaint on that day.
Political decision
The regular polls were scheduled for mid-2010. After the collapse of the government in April this year, a new date was set for October 9 and 10.
"I consider the ruling to be an irresponsible step that can have fundamental negative impact not only on the political development in the country but also deepening of the economic crisis," said the head of the Civic Democrats (ODS) and former PM Mirek Topolánek on Tuesday.
President Klaus marked the ruling "unprecedented and extremely political".
"I am ready to look for a quick solution to the constitutional and political crisis that has emerged from today's decision by the Constitutional Court," he stated Tuesday.
Dissolving parliament
Miloš Melčák, a former Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), filed a complaint last week, arguing that his rights as a lawmaker were breached, since he was not allowed to serve a full term in office.
Meanwhile, Mirek Topolánek challenged the Czech lawmakers to negotiate possible changes in the Constitution as soon as possible.
It would require dissolving parliament and calling for new snap elections. The lawmakers would need 120 votes in the 200-seat chamber to alter the current Constitution.
