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Current AffairsCoalition parties shelve their differences to avert threat of early elections
Leaders of the ruling centre-right coalition stepped away from the brink on
Monday night, reaching agreement on a cabinet re-shuffle that would allow
the pro-reform government to remain in office. The agreement comes in the
wake of a crippling corruption scandal that led to numerous rifts within
the governing coalition and resulted in a dramatic slump in public support. More
Current AffairsPundit: early elections may be the only viable option
The fate of the Czech government hangs in the balance in the wake of a
corruption scandal involving the junior coalition party Public Affairs. The
prime minister’s intention to dismiss two Public Affairs ministers
perceived as close allies of Transport Minister Vít Bárta who resigned on
Friday amidst allegations of corruption, have raised the ire of the
smallest party in government. Public Affairs has threatened to walk out
unless its coalition partners sweep before their own doors first –
triggering a broad cabinet reshuffle. The deadlock over who should stay and
who should go has precipitated a crisis that could result in early
elections. Radio Prague asked political analyst Jiří Pehe to assess the
government’s chances of survival. More
Current AffairsPolitical analyst Jiří Pehe: the present crisis will strengthen democracy in the Czech Republic
The recent weeks of political turmoil in the Czech Republic have left many
questions unanswered – primarily what kind of government will rule the
country until regular elections in the spring of next year. Prime Minister
Jan Fischer, who heads a caretaker government which was meant to lead the
country to early elections in October, has said he is waiting to hear from
the country’s political leaders as to whether they want personnel
changes, a government of technocrats, a political government or something
in-between. He has also said he cannot continue to rule the country without
a fresh mandate. Although relations between the two strongest parties –
the right-wing Civic Democrats and the Social Democrats -are frosty it is
they who will have to decide about the country’s immediate future. So
what are the chances of them reaching agreement? Political analyst Jiří
Pehe says they are considerable since cooperation between the two strongest
parties is nothing new in Czech politics.
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