Final Word from Monday, June 7, 2021
The motion passed last week by the foreign committee of the Senate declaring Miloš Zeman to be incapable of carrying out the office of the president of the Czech Republic is aimed primarily at Zeman himself, but if it succeeded in both chambers of Parliament, it could also be used to dethrone Andrej Babiš as prime minister. Many of the powers of the president would pass temporarily under Par. 66 of the Constitution to the PM and the heads of the two chambers. For example, Babiš as the current PM would have the power to appoint judges or to give himself a pardon. The speaker of the House would appoint Constitutional Court judges and the PM. In other words, if Zeman were sidelined and the opposition won enough votes in Oct. to elect one of its own as the speaker of the House, it would be this person, and not Pres. Zeman, who appointed the next PM. All it might take to change the course of Czech history is a simple majority in both houses of Parliament. [ Czech Republic kill two birds Pavel Fischer ]
Glossary of difficult words
to kill two birds with one stone - to achieve two aims at once;
to dethrone - to remove from a position of authority or dominance;
to sideline - to remove from the center of activity or attention;
simple majority - a majority in which the highest number of votes cast for any one candidate, issue or item exceeds the second-highest number, while not constituting an absolute majority.