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The Christian Democrats and the Mayors and Independents group signed a coalition agreement on Wednesday under which they will contest general elections in October together. The deal follows around three months of coalition talks between the two sides. Commentators say together the Christian Democrats and Mayors (who were previously in an alliance with TOP 09) could prove a significant force. However, as a two-party coalition they will need to win at least 10 percent of the vote to make it into the lower house. The normal threshold is 5 percent.

The elections to the lower house of parliament will take place on October 20-21, Czech President Miloš Zeman said in an interview on commercial broadcaster TV Barrandov on Thursday. The president chose the latest date possible according to the constitution, which says elections must be held at least 30 days before the end of a four-year parliamentary term with the president obliged to give at least 90-day notice of when they will happen. The deadline for political parties to submit the list of their candidates is August 15. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said on his Twitter account that he was ready to sign the proposal.

President Miloš Zeman has given notice that he will announce the date for elections to the lower house of parliament at the end of a three day tour of central Bohemia on Friday. He added that he wanted to give political parties adequate notice of when they would take place so they can book advertising space. According to the constitution, elections must be held at least 30 days before the end of a four year parliamentary term with the president obliged to give at least 90 days notice of when they will happen.

When the Christian Democratic Party and Mayors and Independents confirmed their intention to enter into a coalition for the autumn general elections it was hailed by many as an ambitious project reflecting a trait that is sadly lacking in Czech politics: willingness to cooperate. However a poll indicating that the coalition may not get enough votes to get seats in the lower house of Parliament has dashed the initial optimism, with some Christian Democrats now wanting out. I asked political scientist Vladimíra Dvořáková how much of a risk the two

Petr Gazdík was re-elected the chairman of the STAN party of mayors and independents at the party congress held in Prague on Saturday. He won backing from 93 percent of those voting. The party was due later Saturday to decide whether to give its final approval for an electoral alliance with the Christian Democrats going into the lower house elections in October this year. The head of the Christian Democrats, Pavel Bělobrádek addressed the STAN party congress. He said later that it was 99 percent certain that the alliance would go ahead.

The Christian Democrats and the Mayors and Independents group have both ratified a deal under which they will contest this autumn’s general elections together. After the Mayors’ leadership voted for the creation of an electoral coalition on Saturday it was approved by the Christian Democrats. The Christian Democrats will lead the joint ticket in eight regions, with the Mayors heading the campaign in the remaining six. The latter had previously cooperated with the right-wing party TOP 09.

A new poll by the STEM agency suggests that if the parliamentary election were held today, ANO would finish comfortably ahead of other parties to make it into the lower house. According to STEM, ANO would receive 27 percent of the vote and the Social Democrats, who head the current government, just 15 percent. The Communists would come third, with just under 14 percent. The survey projects that centre-right parties such as the Christian Democrats, the Civic Democrats and TOP 09 would finish in the single digits, within striking distance of each other, but pass the five percent threshold needed to make it into the lower house. The Pirate Party would win seats, with 5.5 percent. STAN, considering running together with the Christian Democrats, would pick up just 2.5 percent.

The leadership of the Christian Democrats and the STAN party of mayors and independents are meeting in Lipnice nad Sázavou over two days to discuss joining forces in the parliamentary election in October. Both sides expect a decision on the matter after this weekend. Stan leader Petr Gazdík stated that there were no policy or financial barriers preventing the two parties from co-operating; the idea of the two parties running as a coalition has been under discussion since December. The Christian Democrats are the junior party in the current government.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stood for re-election of the Social Democrats at the party’s congress at the weekend and received 67 percent support from delegates, a somewhat lukewarm result given that he ran unopposed. Many would argue in an election year there was no advantage of changing horses midstream; also most are aware that it will be Mr Sobotka left holding the bag if the Social Democrats fail to triumph in the parliamentary elections this autumn.

A two-day election conference of the ruling Social Democratic Party ended in the Moravian metropolis of Brno on Saturday with party leader Bohuslav Sobotka declaring that the party was united and ready to give a good showing in the autumn parliamentary elections. On Friday party leader Bohuslav Sobotka was re-elected to the top post receiving support from 67 percent of delegates. He ran unchallenged. Interior Minister Milan Chovanec was confirmed in the post of first deputy. Among the foreign guests at the conference were Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern.