Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer ruled himself out for the post of European Union commissioner, saying he wants to complete his caretaker role as head of government until elections next year.

Fischer emerged last night as the only candidate acceptable to the two largest political parties to become the eastern European country’s next commissioner in Brussels, said Mirek Topolanek, the head of the Civic Democratic Party, in a statement today in Prague.

The Czech Republic has been engulfed in a series of political crises this year, including the collapse of the government during the Czech EU presidency because of a power struggle between the Civic Democrats and the rival Social Democrats and challenges to EU’s new governing treaty that made the country the last in the bloc to approve it. Accepting the post would add more uncertainty by forcing the creation of a new government, Fischer said.

“The process of selecting the new Czech commissioner cannot be prolonged anymore and must not escalate into another domestic political crisis,” Fischer said in a statement. “I appeal to the political parties to continue negotiations and come to an agreement on a new Czech commissioner.”

Other Candidates

The race is on to find a successor to Vladimir Spidla, the first commissioner since the Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004. Spidla, the commissioner of social affairs and a former premier under a Social Democrat government, was proposed for a second term by the Social Democrats, until Fischer’s potential candidacy surfaced.

Other names mentioned over the past weeks include Jan Svejnar, an economist who failed in his bid to win the presidency last year, and Alexander Vondra, a deputy prime minister under Topolanek’s administration.

Fischer said he repeatedly told political leaders he would put forward his own candidate for the EU post if party leaders fail to agree on their own candidate.

Topolanek, who was ousted as premier during the EU presidency in May, said in a statement today that he believes the best candidate is Fischer and is ready to start negotiations on finding a new prime minister.

IDnes said possible replacements for Fischer would include Vaclav Paces, a biochemist and former head of the Czech Academy of Sciences; Interior Minister Martin Pecina; and Foreign Minister Jan Kohout.

‘Total About-Face’

Topolanek also said the premier expressed interest in the EU post, “repeatedly negotiated” about the nomination and yesterday “confirmed he was ready to accept.”

“I don’t understand, therefore, the total about-face in his opinion, which his latest media statements suggest,” said Topolanek. News portal IDnes said more details about the search would be released at a press conference on Nov. 9.

President Vaclav Klaus, on a trip to the U.S., said he is perplexed by the development, which would force the selection of a new caretaker prime minister to rule the nation until regular elections in May or June.

“This government is successful, has extraordinary popular support, and as president I am at a loss as to why we should break it up at the moment,” Klaus said, according to IDnes, which cited the Czech News Agency.

Fischer is ranked the most trusted politician in the country, with an approval rating of 57 percent, the Prague-based polling company Factum Invenio said on Nov. 2.

Early Elections Quashed

He left the post as head of the Czech Statistical Office to replace Topolanek, originally until October, when early elections were first scheduled.

Those election plans were quashed when Social Democrat Chairman Jiri Paroubek reneged on an agreement to hold them in the autumn. It was decided at that time to allow Fischer to approve a 2010 budget and hold office until the middle of next year.

Fischer said today he doesn’t see his future as a “professional” politician. Rather he expects to do “expert work” in either a “domestic or international institution.”

To contact the reporter for this story: James M. Gomez in Prague at jagomez@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 7, 2009 15:04 EST