A new government has been sworn in in the Czech Republic but there is little optimism it will survive a confidence vote.

The ceremony installing the Civic Democrats was carried out by President Vaclav Klaus.

The centre-right party, led by former businessman Mirek Topolanek, won an election in June but not by enough to secure a parliamentary majority.

He has advocated an early election in the spring of next year.

The leftist Social Democrats of outgoing Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek and the far-left Communists, who together make up the other half of parliament, have rejected giving support to Topolanek.

It means the country’s political crisis is likely to stretch out for months.

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