The Czech Republic Review; Vol
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www.cbap.cz Bulletin: The Czech Republic Review; Vol. 1, No. 2, Oct/Nov 2012 The Czech Republic Review Background of Czech Politics Volume 1, Number 2, October/November 2012 Czech Republic – Party had been the main initiator of this chaos, which had an understandable October/November 2012 impact on the coalition government The most important event in Czech politics stability as a whole. Some groups within seems to be dealing with the inner conflict the Civic Democrats have been universally in the ODS (Civic Democratic Party) and its dissatisfied with their leader. However, it influence on the stability of the governing has become evident that it is only Petr coalition. Nečas who can really be the leader of this political party. Also, the groups of these Inner conflict of the Civic dissatisfied members had realised this fact, due to the fact that none of them Democratic Party wanted to take up the reins after their Author: Martin Laryš unpopular leader. And because there was no one to become the leader of these The Civic Democrats were successful in rebellions, the destiny of this group was its discrediting themselves on the state and failure. The rebellion group had chosen regional level even before the regional Ivan Fuksa as an opponent of Nečas just elections. The replacement of Petr Nečas because of the necessity of the group, but as prime minister had been at stake for a the only one with the strong support and while, with the possible demission of the assistance to gain the post of leader was cabinet. Nevertheless, the situation was Martin Kuba. But no one, not even him, stabilized and these tendencies were wanted to begin his career as the leader of reversed. The split in the Civic Democratic the Civic Democrats with the label of rebel 1 www.cbap.cz Bulletin: The Czech Republic Review; Vol. 1, No. 2, Oct/Nov 2012 defeated and the others, also well known and lose the parliamentary elections as the observers of the interest groups, afterwards. were on time to defect to the side of Nečas. Civic Democrats are now in the The ministers from them Civic Democratic period of unprecedented stability (even in Party had realized the replacement of their parliamentarian club). There are also Nečas would endanger their posts, the some growing signals that the golden age coalition would fall apart and they would of these “godfathers” is slowly declining be the ones suffering the most, altogether and some of them are already losing their with their hidden allies. President Václav influence. Klaus had been the first to realize that their efforts to replace Nečas would Agreement within the inevitably fail and he was also the first to hide all the evidence about his role as a coalition co-architect in this inner-party crisis. Author: Martin Laryš According to the results of the congress, it This new era of Civic Democrats inner is possible to state that the real winner of stability impressed the representatives of the congress is Minister, and also the vice- the coalition and the coalition was able to chairman of the Civic Democrats, Martin agree on key laws, including the church Kuba. Kuba received more votes than restitution (despite the previous objection Nečas did, however the result wasn´t so of the Liberal Democrats – LIDEM). The overwhelming (Nečas absolutely government´s parliament majority has dominated at the last congress, this time been getting thinner during the year from he was glad to “survive”). The loyalty of the previous number of 118 MPs and his men isn´t something Nečas can count there was a possibility for the opposition on in the future, while the competent and to override the coalition. The inner workable politicians such as Kuba will gain strength and viability was validated after a lot of experience with the central the Civic Democrats congress and the administration of the party. The coalition and the parliamentary majority is leadership of the Civic Democrats behaved now stabilized somewhere between 102 – instinctively and they expelled the 104 MPs due to some coalition MPs with a majority of discredited names (Tluchoř strong influence on other parliament- etc.) from the executive council of the tarians. So the possibility that the next party (with the key decision-making elections will be held on the regular date competence), so the party strengthened in 2014 has risen and the coalition noticeably. stabilized its position, after being affected by bad results in regional elections. The Only those politicians without any next few weeks and months should be scandals remain in the party executive relatively stable. This stability may be council. The core of the rebels has been endangered mainly by the effective activi- 2 www.cbap.cz Bulletin: The Czech Republic Review; Vol. 1, No. 2, Oct/Nov 2012 ty of the state´s attorney and the likelihood of the outbreak of new scandals and prosecutions, which may potentially affect anyone from the MPs or the ministers of the coalition. 3 .