Deconstructing Jirka

It's easy to attribute Jiří Paroubek's obstructionism to a neurotic desire to remain in power. But does Paroubek have the intelligence and mental endurance to have devised and carried out such an effective strategy alone? There's grounded speculation that Václav Klaus and Miloš Zeman have been running the show behind the scenes. Despite all the media hype, everything Klaus has done since the elections - except a critical comment here or there - has in fact benefited Pa-roubek. Klaus has been instrumental in legitimizing ČSSD's stonewalling. Zeman, for his part, has helped Paroubek set political strategy and then reverse it at the appropriate moment. It's true that Mirek Topolánek has proven to be a more formidable opponent than expected. But with the two greatest brains of Czech politics - and an obedient foot soldier - up against him, his chances of avoiding an ODS-ČSSD backroom deal were probably close to nil from the very start. [Czech Republic ODS ČSSD president stalemate]