Final Word from Thursday, January 4, 2018
Miloš Zeman has unfinished business. He's helped Petr Kellner get rich in Russia and China, dispensed with Bohuslav Sobotka, brought a rebellious ČSSD to its knees, appointed his old hand-picked finance minister and confidence-free PM to run the CNB, and paved the way for Andrej Babiš to take over the government, but he still has two things to do. First, of course, he has to win reelection. And second, he must see to it that Senate Pres. Milan Štěch does not. Štěch might not be as high on his hate list as Sobotka, but Zeman is willing to break the New Year's tradition of dining with the heads of the two chambers to show his displeasure at being called "senile." It would be the ultimate indignity if he had to submit his early resignation to Štěch (Art. 61 of the Constitution). For this reason, the Zeman-Babiš pact must remain in place at least until after this year's Senate elections. Zeman needs Babiš to oust Štěch as Senate president. Only then can he retire a winner. [Czech Republic Parliament Czech National Bank PPF Jiří Rusnok no-confidence]
Glossary of difficult words
Correction: the Senate elections are this year.
to check out - to leave, vacate, depart or exit from; to die;
to dispense with - to get rid of;
confidence-free - (in this context) not having won a vote of confidence in Parliament;
senile - having or showing the weaknesses or diseases of old age, esp. a loss of mental faculties;
to oust - to drive out or expel (someone) from a position or place.