Final Word from Monday, November 21, 2005
There are two kinds of ODS officials who might not want their party to win big in the 2006 elections. First are the regional governors who have created their own power bases. Most of them would see their importance diminish if ODS went into a majority coalition with KDU-ČSL. They would have greater influence under an ideologically weak coalition of ODS and ČSSD (without ODS Chair Mirek Topolánek). Second are the few influential national politicians who, when push comes to shove, might not be invited into any cabinet because of their reputation for corruption. Jaroslav Plesl of LN said that people like Vlastimil Tlustý and Ivan Langer make it difficult for ODS to talk about the current government's dirty dealings. Topolánek is often criticized for failing to confront ČSSD adequately, but his greater shortcoming might be his inability to deal with forces within his own party that are working against him. [Czech Republic grand coalition Lidové noviny commissioners]