Final Word from Monday, February 11, 2008
All that was missing from the presidential election on Fri. and Sat. was the cage that Russian courts use to hold defendants. That would have made it clear that Václav Klaus and Jan Švejnar were prisoners to a system that seems broken. Czech politicians understand democracy to mean the freedom to do whatever they want, no matter how repulsive the voters might find their behavior. Švejnar's entry into Czech politics was supposed to bring fresh wind and a new style, but so far it has merely brought out the worst in politicians and dealmakers. Klaus's crowd clearly holds the edge in terms of knowing how to use the quirks of democracy to its advantage, which means V.K. still has a 60% chance of getting reelected. But if he fails again on Fri., pressure to do something about this "democratic surplus" will reach the explosion point. Czechs are a small step closer to direct presidential elections.[Czech Republic Savoy]
Glossary of difficult words
defendant - a person accused of something in a court of law;
repulsive - arousing intense distaste or disgust;
to bring out the worst in someone - to cause someone to exhibit his or her worst traits;
quirk - a peculiarity of behavior, idiosyncrasy;
democratic surplus - Klaus often speaks of a "democratic deficit" in the EU.