(15 Jun 2002)
1. Various of people voting in the capital
2. Various of media watching result with head of Social Democrats, Vladimir Spidla
3. Various of Spidla with supporters
4. SOUNDBITE: (Czech) head of Social Democrats, Vladimir Spidla
"These predictions aren't results, but they're also no surprise. At this moment I cannot comment any further though."
5. Various of media coverage of election and interview with Jan Zahradil, of the centre-right opposition Civic Democratic Party
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jan Zahradil, Deputy Head of centre-right Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
"I do not comment results, these are only some analysis or advanced results made by polling agencies, so as usual we will wait until the first real results come out."
7. Exterior of ODS
STORYLINE:
Exit polls showed the Social Democrats, who favour quick entry into the European Union, headed for victory on Saturday in Czech parliamentary elections where 6,000 candidates sought all 200 seats in the lower chamber.
The Czech television polls showed that the Social Democrats with 30 percent of the vote and 4 percentage points ahead of the centre-right Civic Democratic Party (ODS).
The head of the Social Democrats, Vladimir Spidla, watched the exit polls with supporters and the media, but says he's waiting until the actual results come in.
The centrist coalition of the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union was third with 17 percent.
The Communist Party had 13 percent.
No other party was at the 5 percent threshold needed for parliamentary representation. The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus 1 percentage point.
The more than 6,000 candidates represented 28 political parties and coalitions. All 200 seats in the lower chamber of parliament were in play.
Voter turnout was expected to reach more than 70 percent, according to election officials. About 8.2 million people were eligible to cast ballots.
Both leading parties favour joining the EU, but differ in their approach to gaining membership. The socialists want the country to quickly meet EU membership requirements and accuse their main rival, the Civic Democratic Party of former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, of stalling on the issue.
Klaus, in turn, says the current government is too conciliatory in negotiating fair conditions for Czech membership, expected in 2004.
Difficult negotiations to form a new government likely will follow the vote.
President Vaclav Havel has said he will choose the leader of a party who will have the best chance to form a functioning coalition government.
Since neither of the two leading parties was likely to gain a sufficient majority to govern alone, the coalition of the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union could in the end determine who will lead the country.
Elected to a four-year term, parliament also will pick the country's president, but party leaders have kept quiet on the issue of a successor for Havel, who was first elected president of what was then Czechoslovakia amid the collapse of communism in 1989.
His final term expires in January.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
