News

The Czech news website idnes has reported that President Václav Klaus may leave the Civic Democratic Party, which he founded and led in government in the 1990s. Sources say Mr Klaus, who is the party’s honorary chairman, may consider the move in support of a new right-wing euro-sceptical party which is reportedly being considered by a number of Klaus protégés. The president has discounted suggestions of leaving so far, saying he would remain in the party in the coming days. The Czech president has long been at odds with current Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolánek and is said to support Prague Mayor Pavel Bém, who will challenge Mr Topolánek for the top job when the Civic Democrats hold their party congress in December.

The news websites aktuálně and idnes have reported that Pavel Bém is in favour of a minority Civic Democratic government, backed by the opposition Social Democrats, if he is elected the head of the Civic Democratic Party. In an article to be published on Saturday, Mr Bém reportedly makes clear he no longer has confidence that the current government is capable of achieving set goals - given the coalition lacks a majority in the lower house. The government led by Mirek Topolánek is made up of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens. Mr Bém will challenge Mr Topolánek for the post of party leader in roughly one week’s time.

The Communist Party has come forward with a claim that additional rebel MPs could help push through an agreement on a planned US radar base in the lower house. The party contended on Friday that such a development would be the result of behind-the-scenes dealings between the ruling Civic Democrats and the opposition Social Democrats. The Communist Party on Friday also reacted with criticism to Thursday’s Senate vote backing the radar deal. 48 out of 81 senators voted in favour. The Czech government and US officials have signed two treaties on the stationing of the US base on Czech soil, part of a broader anti-missile system planned by the US in central and eastern Europe. The vote in the lower house will take place next year.

A new poll conducted by Augur Consulting has suggested that 70 percent of Czechs are in favour of the Czech Republic’s membership in NATO. 53 percent of those polled thought the country’s soldiers should serve only in Europe (as opposed to difficult areas further abroad). Currently the Czech Republic has soldiers, for example, serving in reconstruction and military missions in Afghanistan. The survey, which relied on 980 respondents, also suggests that a higher number of Czechs favour their military being involved in peacekeeping rather than combat missions. The poll was commissioned by the Defence Ministry.