End of the road for legendary Czech leader

VACLAV HAVEL, the dissident playwright who led the revolution that peacefully toppled communism in Czechoslovakia more than 13 years ago, brought his final term as president to an end yesterday.

The office he leaves remains vacant following two unsuccessful attempts by the Czech parliament to elect his successor. The powers of the president largely a ceremonial post will be shared by the prime minister and the speaker of the lower chamber of parliament until a successor can be found.

The Parliament's failure to elect a president reflects the difficulty lawmakers face in choosing a successor to Havel, a legendary figure who led the former Czechoslovakia through the transition from communism to democracy and a free market.