Final Word from Monday, November 10, 2008
Since the regional and Senate elections, ČSSD Chairman Jiří Paroubek has gone from being one of PM Mirek Topolánek's biggest foes to being one of his biggest allies. It's not an open alliance, of course, and neither is it exactly the grand coalition that Paroubek is so quick to denounce. It's more like first aid to a dying coalition. Paroubek was faced with a choice: Support the Klaus-Zeman-Bém blast to the past and actively help to sideline Topolánek, or strike a deal with Topolánek that allows him (Paroubek) to remain his own man, without undue interference from Klaus or Zeman. Paroubek waited until it was clear which way the wind will blow at the ODS congress. He can now win points for being constructive during the rotating EU presidency. And by strategically supplying "defectors," he can help ODS to pass reform laws that will cook Topolánek's goose in the next parliamentary elections.[Czech Republic Václav Miloš Pavel European Union]
Glossary of difficult words
foe - enemy;
grand coalition - a coalition of the two largest parties in a multi-party system;
denounce - to publicly declare something to be wrong or evil;
blast to the past - return to a point in the past;
to sideline - to remove from the center of activity or attention;
undue - unwarranted or inappropriate;
which way the wind will blow - Paroubek is publicly acting as if Topolánek had already been reelected;
to cook someone's goose - to cause someone's downfall.