The new Slovak Government is composed of many parties with varying programmes.

They came together to defeat Slovakia's authoritarian leader Vladimir Meciar.

Mr Meciar could stand for president

But now that has been achieved, there are increasing doubts about how well the coalition will work.

The new Slovak Prime Minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, is going to face a delicate balancing act over the next few years if he is going to keep his government together.

Mr Dzurinda is known as an economic pragmatist, who has shown that he is able to find compromises between various parties, and these qualities will be much in demand.

For example, he could have problems mediating between Finance Minister Brigitta Schmognerova of the Democratic Left Party, and Economy Minister Ludovit Cernak from the centre-right SDK.

Mr Dzurinda could also face a challenge within the SDK, which he leads, from supporters of the new justice minister - former Catholic dissident Jan Carnogursky.

There is a strong personal antipathy between the two men.

Road towards European integration

The West will nonetheless welcome the new government, which has pledged to strengthen democracy and put Slovakia back on the road towards European integration.

Western governments are particularly pleased by the presence of ethnic Hungarians in the government, although this is another area which has provoked conflict among the various parties.

But for all the doubts about the government's unity, it has agreed to back one candidate for president in elections to be held in the Spring.

Former communist aparachik Rudolf Schuster, the charismatic mayor of Kosice in eastern Slovakia, was a compromise choice, the main aim of which was again to defeat Mr Meciar should he seek a political comeback.