Jan Svejnar’s popularity growing

The popularity of presidential candidate Jan Svejnar is growing. Mr. Svejnar, a professor of economics with dual Czech-American citizenship, is Mr. Klaus’ only rival in the February presidential elections. According to polls conducted by the STEM agency public support for Mr. Svejnar has jumped from 15 percent in November to 35 percent in December. On the other hand support for incumbent president Vaclav Klaus dropped from 62 to 35 percent. Commentators say this could be due to Mr. Svejnar’s American–style election campaign and President Klaus’ refusal to take part in a televised debate with him, on the grounds that his views are well known already. Vaclav Klaus has now revised his stand and says he is ready to take on his rival in a debate in Parliament, since it is deputies and senators who will be electing the future head of state. The Communist Party has not ruled out nominating its own candidate for the presidency, so there could in the end be three candidates running for office.