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The day on which the Czech Republic is to get a new head of state has been overshadowed by yesterday's tragic incident on Wenceslas Square. As a result, today's front pages make a sad picture. There are snapshots of people laying flowers on the spot where 19 year old Zdenek Adamec set himself ablaze and there is plenty of reflection on what led the teenager to take his life in such a painful manner. A single quote from many of the papers provides the boy's own answer: "I don't like today's world".

The news that France, Russia and Germany have decided to vote against a UN resolution that would sanction military action against Iraq has fuelled more speculation about whether war with Iraq can be averted. If the US and Great Britain decide to go to war they would not only be acting against public opinion at home - they would be in serious conflict with their allies, says Mlada Fronta Dnes.

Last Friday's presidential election and its repercussions on the Czech political scene remain in the centre of interest. Rarely does the election of a new head of state make such an impact, says Lidove Noviny. Vaclav Klaus' election victory could even topple the governing coalition.

All of today's front pages report on Monday's government decision to seek a vote of confidence. LIDOVE NOVINY features three successive photographs - a smiling, a pensive, and a sad Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla and while all papers say he had made the right move, they also warn of it being a risky step. President-elect Vaclav Klaus also makes the front pages with his shocked reaction to the physical state of Prague Castle.

All today's papers devote their front pages to the newly elected Czech President Vaclav Klaus and speculation about what his election will imply for the ruling coalition and its largest partner, the Social Democrats.

Naturally, all the papers are dominated by today's elections, the third attempt to elect a successor to Vaclav Havel. With the exception of Pravo, all of the dailies carry photos of the two candidates, Jan Sokol and Vaclav Klaus, on their front pages.

The presidential elections will take place in less than a day's time, and the newspapers are filled with pages of reports on the two presidential candidates, Jan Sokol and Vaclav Klaus, and their chances of winning. Hospodarske Noviny's opinion poll shows that around two thirds of the public would prefer to see Vaclav Klaus elected as president, while a third would like Jan Sokol. But most respondents do not believe that either candidate will be a better president than Vaclav Havel.

The two rivals for president - Vaclav Klaus and Jan Sokol - are featured on all of today's front pages - and, symbolically, flanking them in many photographs are two senior communist deputies, with broad smiles on their faces. "This presidential election is very much in the hands of the communists" says Lidove Noviny, "Signing a blood pact with the devil" echoes .

All the papers have found some way to remind readers of the 55th anniversary of the communist take-over on 25 February,1948. In addition to special supplements devoted to the years of communist rule, many connections are made with the present day.

The papers today are dominated by the case of the collapsed bank Union banka and the alleged tapping of several Czech MPs' offices. MLADA FRONTA DNES and PRAVO carry large photos of 55-year-old Czech pop-star Helena Vondrackova wearing a wedding dress and carrying a bouquet of white roses. On Saturday, the pop legend married 44-year-old businessman Martin Michal at the medieval Karlstejn castle west of Prague.