Final Word from Thursday, May 26, 2005
Miloš Zeman told F1 radio that he sees no reason to run again for president after his experience last time. He's bitter because 27 of his party's MPs voted against him in 2003 and allowed Václav Klaus to ascend to the top post. Klaus is already maneuvering to get reelected and has taken steps to win the crucial Communist vote. Does he realize, though, that he risks succumbing to Zeman's own fate? As Klaus has been catering to the Communists and the anti-EU nonconformists, he's been alienating some of ODS's own lawmakers. The irony of all ironies would be if he lost in 2008 because of them. This is a possibility not only because of his EU views, but also because he's reverting more and more to his intolerant old self. His Putin-like condemnation of NGOs is a fine example. Zeman probably couldn't defeat Klaus, but there might be room for a third candidate to sneak up. [Czech Republic Frekvence 1 members of Parliament Communist Party KSČM European Union constitution Vladimir Putin Russia nongovernmental organizations nonprofit]