Final Word from Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Václav Klaus told Czech TV yesterday that if everybody agrees that the Lisbon treaty is just what Europe needs, he won't be the lone voice that stands in its way. Although he seemed to be violating his strategy of never revealing a chess move before the time has come, he nevertheless left some wiggle room. He indicated that he might not give up so easily, even if the Constitutional Court rules against him. A second challenge to the treaty might be submitted. It's conceivable that he will challenge the credibility of the Constitutional Court itself. Even some observers who are convinced of the constitutionality of the Lisbon treaty acknowledge that politics - and not just constitutional law - will play a role in the Court's decision. This is okay, they suggest, because it's for a good cause. The question Klaus might face is to what degree he's willing to discredit the CR's institutions in the interest of blocking Lisbon. His recent behavior - including his state visit to Ireland - suggest that he is willing to go quite far in this respect.[Czech Republic president sign ratify ratification]
Glossary of difficult words
to revisit - to return to an issue;
wiggle room - room to maneuver; flexibility, esp. in one's options or interpretations;
second challenge - Klaus suggested on Radio Česko that a second challenge to the treaty could delay the debate on the document in Parliament;
conceivable - capable of being imagined or grasped mentally.