Czechs showed concern for their country's finances when casting ballots in Saturday's election, ignoring left-wing promises of lavish benefits to vote in thrifty centrists and right-wingers.

While the left-wing Social Democrats (CSSD) narrowly placed first, the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09 and Public Affairs were in talks yesterday on forming a centre-right coalition that would hold a solid parliamentary majority.

"Voters did the responsible thing when they backed parties offering a more responsible and better economic programme," David Marek, an analyst with Patria Finance in Praguesaid.

"The fact that they paid attention to economic issues, that there was the global economic crisis, that we have a debt crisis now - this played the key role," he said, adding markets would welcome the result.

Public finances, battered by the global downturn, became a hot issue in the election campaign in this ex-communist country, which is watching anxiously as the eurozone crisis hits its key trading partners, Germany and Slovakia. Exit polls by the SC&C agency showed that 54 per cent of voters considered public finances the top priority, ahead of curbing corruption.

"Voters took fright of what's happening in Greece and they don't want to go on living in debt," said Next Finance analyst Marketa Sichtarova, adding she expected "drastic" reforms from the next government. Looking set to form the country's strongest Cabinet since 1996, with support from 118 members of the 200-seat Parliament, the three centre-right parties agree on the need to put together an austerity programme.

"Voters gave us a big opportunity to create a coalition of budgetary responsibility," ODS leader Petr Necas said in a TV debate on Sunday as informal coalition talks started.

"We can see a chance the new team will push through the long-postponed health care and pension reforms, which are a necessary prerequisite for the long-term sustainability of public finances," said Mr Marek.

The CSSD, which failed to impress voters with promises of benefits and extra pensions, said yesterday it would be fair if it had the first go at putting together a government.

But ahead of talks with the President, who names the Prime Minister under the Constitution, CSSD deputy head Bohuslav Sobotka admitted his party's chances of building a coalition were thin against the three-party force.

Czech debt is one of the lowest among the 27 European Union states, standing at 35.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009.

But the ratio grew rapidly during the global crisis - up from 30 per cent in 2008 - as the government deficit reached 5.9 per cent of GDP in 2009 against a 1.6 per cent forecast made before the crisis hit.

In its latest forecast, the Czech National Bank predicted an improved economic rebound - 1.4 per cent GDP growth for this year and 1.8 per cent in 2011, following a 4.2 per cent slump in 2009.