Final Word from Monday, April 18, 2005
Despite last week's false hope, the political crisis is far from over, and the powers of the president are now the hot topic. ČSSD is threatening to turn to the Constitutional Court if Václav Klaus refuses to act quickly in accepting the resignations of the seven ministers who have submitted them. The constitution requires him to recall the ministers but sets no time limit. Klaus is using this and other gaps in the constitution to increase his own powers and, indirectly, to secure his own reelection. It's unlikely that the Constitutional Court would find anything wrong with his behavior, though. In this crisis, Klaus is bound more by public opinion than by the wording of the constitution. He can sit on the resignations as long as the Czech people are on his side. ČSSD's only hope - and it's not a very big one - is to show that Klaus is standing in the way of the perfect solution to the crisis. [Czech Republic president]