Left wing wins Czech regional polls, right wing defeated - PM

The disunity and disputes in the ODS deputy group might also be reflected in the election results, Necas said.

The government parties´ failure in regional elections has become "a firm rule of the Czech election cycles," Necas pointed out.

"We will probably have to reckon with it in the future as well," he said.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) scored a crushing victory in the previous regional polls in 2008 winning all posts of regional governors.

After 90 percent of the votes were counted today, rhe Social Democrats are winning in nine out of the 13 regions.

The current election results should not touch the work of the centre-right coalition government of the ODS, TOP 09 and LIDEM, Necas said, recalling that the government is constituted on the basis of results of elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament.

Consequently, neither regional nor presidential elections (to be held in January, 2013) should affect the government, he added.

Necas called the election turnout of about one-third of voters usual.

However, the current corruption affairs that are being investigated may have also influenced the low turnout, Necas said.

But he added that the fight against corruption was not only being discussed at least.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz