Final Word from Tuesday, April 24, 2012
After a week or so of musical chairs, the latest Czech
government crisis is all but over, and everybody can go back to
the way things were before the crisis began. The only difference
will be that instead of a fragile government of 118, there will
now be a fragile government of ... 118. Well, not technically, of
course. ODS, TOP 09 and the Peake pack will only muster 101-
102 votes for the new coalition agreement, but VV has already
said it will enter the constructive opposition. Which exact form
this constructive opposition takes on Fri. during the confidence
vote isn't yet clear, but abstentions or absences seem the most
likely. After the coalition has that vote behind it, Nečas and
Kalousek will continue to need to sweet-talk or strong-arm
enough MPs to pass key legislation such as taxes and church
restitution, just as before. The only real question after all this
song and dance routine is who will be assigned the task of
negotiating with Vít Bárta. The easiest thing would be for
Karolína Peake and Kateřina Klasnová to go back to being BFFs.[Czech Republic VV Věci veřejné platfom best friends forever]
Glossary of difficult words
musical chairs - a series of changes or exchanges of position, esp. in a political or commercial organization;
to muster - to collect or assemble (a number or amount);
abstention - an instance of declining to vote for or against a proposal or motion;
to sweet-talk - to praise someone insincerely in order to persuade him or her to do something;
to strong-arm - to use force or violence against;
song and dance - a display of unnecessary excitement, activity or interest;
BFF - best friends forever.