Prague - Once again, the Social Democrats (ČSSD) have proved how unpredictable they can be.
In a Tuesday shock annoucement they said they decided not join the move to dissolve parliament and that they prefer to hold a general election in June next year.
Their last minute decision comes after most of Czech political parties originally agreed on a move to dissolve parliament and force through a snap election in early November.
The ČSSD leader Jiří Paroubek reasoned that the party does not want to risk further complications potentional constitutional complaints could bring about.
"We are not concerned about our mandates but mainly about the welfare of this nation," said Paroubek.
As Aktuálně.cz learned, the ČSSD move is widely supported by the Green Party, which has been refusing to back a motion to dissolve parliament since the very beginning of the political crisis.
The Communist Party has announced earlier Tuesday they would abstain from the vote on the dissolution of parliament. The vote on dissolving the lower house requires 120 votes in the 200-seat chamber.
The ČSSD surprise reversal earned sharp criticism from other MPs.
Former foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg who now heads a new political party TOP 09 marked the move as irresponsible.
"We made fools out of ourselves again in front of the whole world," he added.
More work as a non-MP
In the meantime, MP and head of Civic Democrats Mirek Topolánek resigned Tuesday afternoon.
"I am not Paroubek and I will do more work for people if I am not an MP," Topolánek explained his move to his fellow MPs at today's session.
It was his coalition government that was voted down this April by ČSSD midway Czech EU Presidency.
An interim government of Jan Fischer took over in May. Part of the political deal was also to hold a snap poll in early October.
Should the interim government stay in power until next year, further bickering over 2010 budget proposed by the partisan cabinet and some reforms will follow.
