Tsjechische premier benoemd na 10 weken van politieke onzekerheid (en)

Ten weeks after the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, the country's president Vaclav Klaus has appointed a new prime minister - Mirek Topolanek - but analysts suggest the political crisis in Prague is far from over.

Mr Topolanek's center-right Civic democrats patry (ODS) won the elections in early June but failed to get a sufficient majority combined with other right-leaning parties to form a ruling coalition that would be able to get through parliament.

Under the current rules, the previous social democrat government, led by Jiri Paroubek, could only resign on Wednesday (16 August), a day after MPs managed - in the seventh attempt following the country's poll - to elect their parliamentary leader.

The new conservative prime minister will now have to set up his government team and win a confidence vote in the chamber - a move viewed as just as difficult given the blocking powers of the centre-left opposition.

Mr Topolanek has hinted he will try to achieve support for a minority cabinet led by ODS by next Wednesday, with social democrats - the second strongest party - hinting they might give their go-ahead if their key conditions on the government programme and ministerial posts are respected.

The new prime minister said he would like to see a government over which Czech citizens "would not have to be embarrassed in Europe,"

He added that resolving the current political riddle is crucial also for Prague's preparation for the six-month EU presidency in 2009, according to the Czech press agency CTK.

However, some analysts doubt the minority cabinet will last for long as the ODS was planning to introduce some economic reforms which have already been rejected by the social democrats.

The clear-cut division in the parliament would make it impossible for Mr Topolanek to get them passed.