Gross trumps his rivals

Stanislav Gross offered a clever solution yesterday that allows him to regain the initiative in his do-or-die battle with Václav Klaus and Miroslav Kalousek. Gross offered to resign if the three old coalition parties agree on a new pro-European cabinet that doesn't include any of the party leaders. His condition is that he wants to choose the new PM. Not only does this buy him time to do whatever cleaning up needs to be done, but it also sets him free from the Communists and could shift the blame to Klaus and Kalousek if the effort to form a new coalition fails. Klaus and Kalousek gave only a halfhearted endorsement; they aren't going to be enthusiastic about anything that allows ČSSD to stabilize itself before the elections. It's now up to ČSSD's members. If they don't support Gross 100% on this, they'll be handing a clear victory to Klaus, Kalousek and the Communists. [Czech Republic prime minister premier KDU-ČSL US-DEU president]