It is rooted in a flawed change to the constitution in 2004 that reduced the power of the president but stopped short of turning Ukraine into a parliamentary republic, fudging the responsibilities of president and prime minister.

ECONOMIST: Ukraine's troubles

IRA's political wing and the party which he leads, has just won a parliamentary seat in the Irish Republic.

ECONOMIST: Ulster��s omens

Klaus argued that a directly elected president would have greater popular authority and that this could undermine the Czech Republic's parliamentary system of government.

BBC: Q&A: Czech presidential election

On Wednesday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Irish Republic's lower parliamentary chamber, the Dail, that Mr Halappanavar had said that he did not want anyone from University Hospital Galway taking part in the inquiry, and that was no longer the case.

BBC: Savita Halappanavar

Whoever leads this hypothetical government would have to draw up a list of tasks, starting with the election of the new president of the Republic and moving on to election reform, parliamentary reform and other measures which Mr Grillo might support, like conflicts of interest, corruption and cutting the costs of politics.

BBC: Bumpy ride ahead for Italy after indecisive election

That is why Montenegro, as a republic, boycotted last month's Yugoslav presidential and parliamentary elections, held after Mr Milosevic had forced through constitutional changes without consulting Montenegro.

BBC: Analysis: The Montenegro conundrum

Hungary, Sweden and the Czech Republic also expressed reservations about treaty change -- but left the door open, pending parliamentary debate.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS