Final Word from Monday, October 9, 2006
Jiří Paroubek said last week that he got along better with ODS's people at Prague city hall than he does with some of his own party members. Yet his former boss, Prague Mayor Pavel Bém of ODS, did him no favors yesterday. He said that Paroubek is greedy for power. Yesterday's Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung went a step further and said Paroubek is only interested in power. Paroubek might not be so different from other politicians, but he's allowed his thirst for power to define his media persona. Compare this to Mirek Topolánek, who's willing to give up the PM's post to form a workable government. Or Václav Klaus, who has convinced three-fourths of Czechs that their interests, and not his, are his top concern. Or Miloš Zeman, who has allowed almost everyone to write him off but who is perhaps even more intent on returning to power than Jiří Paroubek.[Czech Republic premier prime minister FAZ ČSSD ODS]