The Czech Republic at the dawn of the "Klaus Party"

Czech President Václav Klaus has resigned his honorary presidency of the liberal-conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS), of which he is the co-founder. In the wake of this move the founding of a new party is in the offing, prepared by friends of Klaus. The conservative daily Lidové noviny writes that the new anti-EU party barely stands a chance of survival: "The new party is meant to weaken the influence of the ODS. ... But its founder Petr Mach, director of a think tank close to President Klaus, risks the same fate as [Prague mayor] Pavel Bém in challenging the ODS leader Mirek Topolánek. For this reason Klaus has qualms about openly declaring himself as the new party's founding father. But that is exactly the crux of the matter. Projects by politicians who lack the courage to admit their patronship don't stand a chance in this country. Even Václav Havel [who co-founded the liberal Freedom Union, which has no seats in parliament] had to face up to that."

» more information (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Jaroslav Plesl

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, December 9, 2008