Elections

Median Agency conducted a month poll, from May to June, trying to find out, who is the voters’ preference for the parliamentary elections. 1,188 respondents older than 18 years of age answered the question, showing the Social Democrats would swap the roles with ODS – this time it would be the CSSD, who would narrowly win.

CSSD would get 36.5 percent of the votes, while ODS only 32.3 percent. Members of the Christian Democratic party KDU-CSL would be the only other party which would get seats in the lower house, passing the 5-percent limited by 2 points. That wouldn’t be the case of the Green party which would end with 4.9 percent of the votes, but this may not be completely accurate.

The unusually direct strike against the ruling ODS came from the ex-president Vaclav Havel this weekend. Havel is no longer politically active, this was one of the few political declarations he has made with some emphasis in the past five years.

Prague is the base of ODS, the Civic Democratic Party, the Prague mayor is a ODS member, too, why we should change it? “… I can’t think of anything else than to recommend to Prague citizens, not to vote for the party, which has ruled in Prague for so long, and which has allowed and done so much ill, in the incoming elections.” Havel wrote for LN on Saturday.

What is the biggest problem? For Havel, it is the way ODS wants to change supporting system of Prague theatres in a way, which would in the end mean commercialization of the repertoire. Other criticized deeds were the candidacy for Olympic Games, because Prague has major problems with traffic, in comparison with no projects of Prague growth that goes unlimited without services for the locals.

Vaclav Klaus has won in the knife-edge indirect vote, which has been far from dignified. Just a reflection of Czech Political Culture, in which we live.

We have Klaus for president – a devotedly europhobic president of a EU country which organizes Chairmanship of the EU in 2009. We have a president whose economic skills brought tunneling of the 90’s, and he determines the leaders of the National Bank. A president, who has always put his opinions first. Like when he claims global warming and diseases from passive smoking are just a nonsense.

The world watched the elections and commented; BBC described the vote itself as “marred by threats, bribes and corruption.” and the negotiation ways as “the mafia-style pressure tactics” no wonder. Five ministers reported to get threatening letters, one with a bullet and black powder inside; the first day of elections changed from a dignified ceremony into a street feud, where everyone blamed everyone. At the end, one congressman was threatened on the toilets by an unknown man, after which he got heart stroke and was hospitalized, other two collapsed under the pressure.

The best comment I red was the one by J. X. Dolezal; “At the beginning, one congressman collapsed, than one another started to feel sick, and than also one senator; and at the end about two million people who watched the live broadcast started to feel sick, too, and the representatives went home.”

But I personally accept, Klaus can fascinate his fans; if somebody was born in 1990, he was already born in a country where Klaus has a strong position; and Klaus is still here to be with us. Strong in position for 23 years.

Vaclav Klaus received support of 141 deputies and senators. He needed 140 votes to be re-elected. He was elected in the second vote, on 15th February 2008, for another five years. Being a founder, he had support of the leading ODS Civic Democratic party.

His opponent, Czech-American economist, Jan Svejnar gained 111 votes. He was nominated by the SZ Green Party, and got votes from them and the CSSD Social Democrats. A third candidate, Jana Bobosikova, nominated by the communist party, lacking support, dropped the race before the voting begun.

If Vaclav Klaus watches the courses at betting agencies, he could have started celebrating; The agencies has lowered the courses for Klaus’ win, now they are on their lowest level in history – 1,1:1. In the betting language it means Klaus is right before being elected.

Jan Svejnar was an outsider of the elections from the very beginning, but still he has done everything to interest the public and to get into sub-consciousness of people. He can pay interest on this capital; he would be perfect in Czech Senate, there will also be many positions needed to take up in approaching Czech EU Chairmanship in 2009. There will be many possibilities opening, we can only guess, which he will finally take, it probably won’t be the one to come back to the US.

Thinking about Jana Bobosikova? There is not a chance she would be elected, but the communist party needs her for their strategy; they even straightforwardly say they just use her to have the other parties negotiating with them. Bobsikova doesn’t mind though; she has her own EU ministry’s post defending ahead, for which it is necessary to be seen.

Postscript : Vaclav Klaus was elected the president today.

The communist party boycotted the presidential elections on Saturday. As they expected, the price of their votes is raising, now when the second round comes. They are willing to vote for Jan Svejnar, but only under certain conditions.

“Jan Svejnar can get all our votes, if the Social Democrats and the Green Party promises, they won’t support the contract of building the American Radar base in the Czech Republic.” the chairman of Czech communists said to MF Dnes.

The Communists put their price quite high, they enjoy being the index hand. And for the case Svejnar refuses? They have their own own candidate, our Euro representative Jana Bobosikova. It is clear that if they will vote for her, the president will be Vaclav Klaus. But Klaus probably doesn’t need it – if the situation repeats, he needs only one vote more to be elected the president again.

Friday and Saturday elections brought no winner. The number of votes necessary was 140, from the total 278 (three voters were absent). Klaus was however extremely close when he gained 140 votes, while Svejnar only 113. If Klaus got one more vote, he would have won.

The voting itself was full or arguing and tactics. When the lawmakers were supposed to vote on Friday, they have got themselves into a debate, whether the voting should be secret or open, which only led to accusations and rising pressure, finally ending in two voters collapse.

The second round of elections is on Friday again. The communist party plans to came up with their own candidate. They were present, but they did not take part in electing.

After the last voting being open, the method for next Friday stays unclear. Civic Democrats insist on secret vote. The candidates might be nominated tomorrow.

We give you selected quotations of both candidates, Vaclav Klaus and Jan Svejnar.

• Vaclav Klaus :

I know Svejnar very little, but I am scared of his economical opinions. He really got me down by his articles during CSFR separation.

I think there will be the radar at the Czech ground. It won’t be soon, there is a lot of things that need to be solved before.

Euro adoption will lower salaries.

Climate changes happens all the time and it always did. Now somebody wants to control it and to accept drastic disposals with immense impact on our freedom and economical and social conditions.

Let’s be proud of who we are. One man told me once: “I am proud of you being proud of the Czech Nation”

• Jan Svejnar :

You can choose somebody for the past, or you can choose somebody for the future.

I agree with the Radar from the beginning. What is important are the conditions.

Euro adoption will lower prices.

There is global warming and the world starts to consider, how it is connected to the activity of man. It is showed by not only long-therm researches, but also by the fact it speeds up in the past ten or twenty years.

I found out, the presidential institution is a very deep symbol and people expect the loyalty will be sealed by the head of the state by having exclusively Czech citizenship.

Ian Willoughby from Radio Praha had a chance to make an interview with Jan Svejnar recently. We bring you the shortened version.

What do you have to offer that the incumbent Vaclav Klaus doesn’t have to offer?

“Well, there is the fact that I am above politic parties. The president here should be politically independent. I am. I have both the local and the international experience, and obviously in the world of globalisation broad international experience is important.

“I am looking more forward than backward. I pretty much do hold strong views that are aligned with those of the Western world, be it in the area of global warming, or the active role that the Czech Republic can play in the EU. So there are major differences.”

Given yours relative outsider status – and Mr Klaus’s ultimate insider status – isn’t it a disadvantage for Jan Svejnar that when it comes to horse-trading for votes, he simply has less to offer?

“You’re right, I’m not offering that. I’m offering vision, I’m offering my skills, my expertise. I believe that the parties that are supporting me – and that’s my advantage, I’m supported by a significant part of the political spectrum, from the left to the right – will do whatever is needed in good old politics, where I have no comparative advantage whatsoever. I’m focusing really on ideas, and where the country should go.”

All things considered, how does the candidate himself rate his chances?

“One has to take the dynamics into account. When I started a couple of months ago I was obviously the outsider both in opinion polls and among the members of Parliament who are going to vote. Now I am the one who is if anything ahead in the opinion polls. Many people in Parliament are seriously considering voting for me, so I think that the chances now are about fifty-fifty.”

The original article is here

MF Dnes brought us results of a questionnaire, in which they asked 281 congressmen and senators. Who would they vote for? Klaus would get 126 votes, Svejnar 102. There are 23 representatives who would vote for none, 30 of them didn’t tell.

That means, there is still enough of those, who wouldn’t tell, aren’t decided, or vote ‘against their club’. The first round of presidential elections in the Czech Republic is on Friday.

Svejnar bets he will also get some votes of the ODS; “I expect it could happen” he said for MF Dnes, where he also stated he hasn’t got a flight ticket to the USA booked: “ …because I’ll win ”

Klaus prospers from People’s Party and Communists don’t support Svejnar as expected: “I am a candidate, because I believe I’ll win.”

To be elected, the candidate needs 141 votes of congressmen and senators.

Teh Czech Republic Presidential elections are in 9 days already, however the very first debate of Vaclav Klaus and Jan Svejnar took place yesterday. Who expected a serious debate, which would influence decisions, was disappointed. The 75 minutes debate would be easier to call a TV show (watch here). Questions were given by the CSSD senators.

Meanwhile Svejnar kept his professional poker face, Klaus gesticulated variously, rolled his eyes and his head, when he disagreed with Svejnar.

There were no new or unexpected quotes. The debate was more about irony, performance, and banter. But some quotes are worth translating:

Svejnar

“I thought, you just don’t publish in scientific magazines, but you don’t even read them. “

“You can vote for somebody for the past, or you can vote for somebody for the future.”

Klaus

“When I red one of his publication from the 90’s, I was horrified.”

“I can guarantee knowledgeable presidency, continuity, and enforcement of authentic interests of our country.”

The questions were from themes which are well known, but controversial. Global warming, privatization, European Union or Euro. Hopefully the planned ‘real’ debate will bring more.

The title is true – the economist and presidential candidate Jan Svejnar decided to give up his U.S. citizenship if he would became the Czech President. He revealed this truth this weekend to MF Dnes.

Decision, which was according to Svejnar hard, is quite surprising, as when he was confronted with this idea before by the KSCM, he said: “It is like to give up your forester-mother, when your own has forced you out.”

He said many people all over the country, with whom he debated, made him to change his mind.

Both the Presidential candidates in the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus and Jan Svejnar, released books before the elections.

Svejnar wanted to get the book published as fast as possible, however because of publisher’s problem it won’t be published until Friday. But we already know the basis of Svejnar’s message – it is Klaus’ fault the Czech Republic got into reccession in 1990’s.

Svejnar labeled Klaus as the direct contravener for bad salary situation in the CR: “due to Klaus’ failure the salaries are every year 10-20% lower than should be.”

Klaus, in his book, contrasts ‘Svejnar’s’ data with ‘his’, as according to him the reforms in 1992-96, during his prime minister secretaryship, increased salaries by 38%.

Klaus in his book focuses primarily on past economics, Svejnar also focuse on his vision of future development. This is also criticized by Svejnar – according to him Klaus belongs to the past.

“It is time to unblock our political scene” says Jan Svejnar for Alexander Kramer, Pravo 22-12-2007. We give you the shortened English version here. Who is Svejnar?

Mr. Professor, when you say you’ll bring Vaclav Klaus down, don’t you just give us that ‘American’ strong rhetoric?

It is not just rhetoric, I believe myself – I have a strong support of the CSSD, SZ and two senate clubs. And I suppose the trend in will grow.

It seems the votes of the communist party will be the decisive ones. Do you think you get them?

At least I think I represent for them the ‘lesser evil’. I have a deeply social feeling. The basic difference between me and Vaclav Klaus is I say there are things that the market can’t do, and for social wealth it is necessary to support the market with suitable state solutions.

Communists definitely don’t like you for the Radar…

Vaclav Klaus is for the radar too! But Klaus sees it as a part of our relationship with the USA, meanwhile I see it as a part of NATO and EU inter-relations.

You have said: “To win over Vaclav Klaus is in the interest of the Czech Republic”. Why?

OK, I’ll come back to what I’ve already said: we live in the fast-globalizing world, in more and more competitive environment. The best strategy, how to further our interests, is to actively participate on all the actions which are in progress now. And what is Klaus’ relation to the EU, is well-known.

Does Vaclav Klaus harm the reputation of the Czech Republic?

I’ll leave this on you and your readers. But if you look at how his various statements are commented in the world, the answer suggests itself.

Are you for or against Prague Olympics?

Only in the case we could organize it in a way it wouldn’t be a financial loss. If we couldn’t, we should postpone the candidacy.

Tolerance of people who believe or don’t believe in God is apparent in civilized countries. Are you an atheist, who tolerates believers, or vice versa?

I’m somewhere in the middle. That means – I’m an agnostic – a person, who on question, whether God exists or not, answers: I don’t know.

Why do you want to become the president, Mr professor?

In America, people are educated in a way to believe in ideals and service for the community is regarded as something that deserves respect. Definitely there is also personal satisfaction that a good job gives to a man.

Does the presidential post have something magical inside for you?

Yes, I can’t deny that. But still, in some phases of my life, I would have to turn the offer down. Now I am in a situation that I can afford that and at the same time I think I am able to do good for the Czech Republic.

The party which wins the elections to the parliament should get a few more parliamentary chairs. So called bonus for winners is probably going to appear among the new set of proposals, how to change the voting system, and so lower the risk of after-elections stalemate.

“We work on some variations, how to solve the thing. We explore, for example, how the winner’s bonus (the system works well i.e. in Italy) works in European countries.” minister Pospisil ( ODS, Civic Democratic Party ) announced.

Pospisil, Czech Minister of Justice, announced the decision of passing the new law will be on whole situation, which implies the system is designed so it wouldn’t harm the small parties.

Prague people know their new Lord Mayer. Yesterday 49 representatives out of 69 voted for Pavel Bem, who became Prague’s Lord Mayer for the second time. 20 votes were not valid.

Civic Democrat Pavel Bem was the only candidate for the post because Frantisek Hoffman from the Communist party stood down his candidature the last moment.

Since 1784 Prague has had 40 Lord Mayers. Pavel Bem, a phychiatrist, is the fourth man in such a long history who defended his post for the second time. He promises especially big changes in traffic.

Civic Democrats were really successful in both the municipal and Senate elections. Their victory in Prague means that Civic Democrats can rule without a coalition with other political parties. Social democrats gained 42 out of 70 seats in the town council.

Social democrats in Prague headed by Pavel Bem promise to improve public transport in the city, to finish ring roads, to increase the number of police officers in the city and to create metropolitan police.

In the municipal elections in the Czech Republic Civic Democratic Party gained 34,7% of votes, Social Democratic Party 16,3%, Communists 10,9%, Christian Democrats 5,9%, Green Party 4,7%. Independents got 24% of votes. More then 46% people came to vote.

26 candidates of Civic Democrats (in 27 election districts) continue in the second round of Senate election. If they win at least 14 seat in the second round, it would mean a majority of one political party in Senate for a first time in history.

Today and tomorrow people in the Czech Republic can vote their representatives in their towns and villages, in some towns also representatives in the Senate of the Czech Republic.

There are 195 political parties and groups candidating in the municipal elections in 6225 towns and villages. 201 128 candidates (70 % men and 30% women) apply for 62 500 positions in the whole CR. The oldest candidates are at the age of 94 years.

Prague people will also decide who will be the leader of the municipal authorities in Prague. One of the six candidates for the post of the Lord Mayer is present Lord Mayer Pavel Bem. Preferences of political parties differ a lot, these two days elections may decide about the future face of Prague.

The elections to Chamber of Deputies was three weeks ago and today was signed a coalition agreement of right wing parties: Civic Democrats (ODS), Christian union (KDU-CSL) and Green Party (SZ). All minister seats are divided and the government programme is created.

Prime minister is Mirek Topolanek, the leader of ODS, his party has 9 minister seats. KDU has three seats – Ministry of the country, Ministry of Defence and Culture. Greens has Environment, Education and Head seat of Legislative Government Council. The rest is for ODS.

The coalition deal contains conjunction of coalition programs and also an agreement that all parties will have work uniformly until the end of electoral term, even the coalition will lose the government. Deal presents among other open and friendly relationships with European Union and NATO, free of charge education, a simplification of the law, restriction of legislative immunity, unitary tax, the end of the rent control or bigger focusing at environment.

Green Party conduct by Martin Bursik has a great success. It is for the first time that non-Parliament party has become a member of Parliament in Czech Republic. With their 6,29 % the Party has exceeded required 5 % to have any seat in the Chamber of Deputies.

Another great success is that this is for the first time that any Green Party has become a member in a Chamber of Deputies in a Parliament in any former communistic state in the world.