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The Czech Republic has begun voting in a two-day general election that is predicted to be a tight race.

The poll will bring to an end the rule of a caretaker cabinet that has been in place for the past year.

The left-wing Social Democrats led the opinion polls, but it is thought they will fall short of a majority.

The big campaign issues included cutting the deficit, pension reform and stamping out corruption. Analysts say the pension system is unsustainable.

But with no party expected to win an overall majority, the political stability needed to tackle the issues effectively could prove elusive, says the BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague.

The country has had an interim administration since the centre-right government was toppled halfway through the country's European Union presidency in March 2009. - BBC