In defense of crisis

Mirek Topolánek's reelection as ODS chairman seems assured; somewhat less evident is the role Václav Klaus will play at the ODS congress this weekend. Klaus could try to repair his tattered reputation by watching his tongue, but that would require him to undergo the kind of Paradigmenwechsel we wrote about on Mon. Topolánek could do his best to smooth things over with Klaus, or he might instead follow Klaus's lead and attack the president. A clean break from Klaus might be in ODS's best long-term interest, but it would increase the political uncertainty during the EU presidency and the financial crisis. Czechs like to talk about having tranquility so they can get on with their work, but a political crisis at a time of a financial crisis isn't necessarily a bad thing. At least it gives politicians less time to come up with borrow-and-spend policies that ultimately only make the economic crisis worse. [Czech Republic European Union]