CZECH REPUBLIC: Almost No Government, Not Bad

By Zoltán Dujisin Reprint | | Print |

Zoltán Dujisin

PRAGUE, Nov 14 2006 (IPS) - Nearly six months without a stable government could cause a serious institutional crisis in many European countries, but for most Czechs life goes on as usual as they turn their backs to political squabbling.

The June elections in this central European country of 10 million ended in a deadlock. Though the right-wing parties had a slightly higher vote, the chamber of deputies, with 200 representatives, is evenly split between left and right.

The neo-liberal Civic Democrats (ODS) obtained the largest share of the vote, followed by the Social Democrats (CSSD), who had won the two previous legislative elections.

Months of negotiations between the parties represented in parliament have failed to produce results. In early October President Vaclav Klaus decided to nominate ODS leader Mirek Topolanek as prime minister, but he lost the vote of confidence in parliament..

Many expected the Social Democrats would get the second choice to form a governing coalition, but last week Klaus, who is also the founder of ODS, gave Topolanek a second consecutive chance, raising doubts over the President’s independence.

The ODS is also striving for early elections, and in the meantime has proposed a “rainbow coalition” of all parties in parliament except the communists, but the CSSD insists it deserves its own chance to form a government.

This attempt would probably need communist approval. The unreformed Communist Party (KSCM) is the third largest political force with 13 percent of the vote, and while all political parties exclude a coalition with the communists, the Social Democrats admit they would be ready to govern with their tacit support.

Cooperation with the communists is taboo in the Czech Republic, largely due to their failure to apologise for Czechoslovakia’s communist regime and to renounce their ideology. Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on Jan. 1, 1993 after breaking free of communism.

Early elections may not be welcomed by many left leaders due to a loss in popularity since the June legislative elections. The Czech Republic has in the meantime seen senate and local elections reward the rightist parties even more, though turnout was low..

Behind the victory of the right there is an even more powerful trend of apathy and disillusionment among voters, resulting in one of the most politically indifferent populations of the post-communist world.

A recent report by Transparency International has confirmed that the Czech Republic, though slightly improving, remains among the most corrupt states in the European Union.

The Czech political scene is ripe with accusations of corruption going as high as party leaders, claims of manipulation of secret police for political gains, and debates ending in personal insults or even physical aggression.

The climate of political campaigning has been protracted by the political stalemate, leading to a high degree of saturation with politics among citizens.

Jirka, a businessman in Prague, is not following politics anymore. “There is too much confusion, accusations of being a communist or cooperating with them, of corruptionàI have lost interest,” he told IPS.

That is an opinion shared by Vaclav, a manual worker who refuses to vote. “Politics makes my stomach turn,” he told IPS. “Czech politicians, right or left, are all corrupt liars.”

Much of the electorate was shocked when two days before the general election in June, right-wing paper Mala Fronta Dnes published a leaked report by the police squad for uncovering organised crime (UOOZ), in which Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek was accused of involvement with organised crime and even paedophilia.

The insinuations have not been found to be true as of yet. Paroubek considered contesting the elections, but eventually refrained from doing so. However, many on the left insist the right won the elections thanks to dirty tricks.

What has saved the Czech Republic from a social crisis is the high economic growth, at around 6 percent of Gross Domestic Product, and the increased living standards, which allow for political disillusionment to be coupled with indifference.

“Czechs tend not to trust politicians or politics, and these last months did not create any greater disillusion,” Petr Mach, executive director of the Centre for Economics and Politics, an independent institution, told IPS.

For Mach the novelty lies in the formation of stable right and left wing political blocks. “In previous elections nobody was willing to cooperate with the communists,” he said. “Now we have a normalisation of politics: right-wing parties work together, and so do left-wing parties.”

The pro-market economist claims there have been gains in the absence of a government and a functioning parliament.

“The Czech economy was over-legislated, and there have been no new pieces of legislation since June,” Mach says.

But not everyone feels pleased simply seeing economics figures rise. “Life has gotten better only for young people, businessmen and criminals,” Ruzena, a 76-year-old pensioner told IPS. “I was careful with money under communism, and I still am now.”