Paroubek again

ČSSD Chair Jiří Paroubek went into a hostile environment yesterday and came out with burning ears. Like four party chairmen before him, he gave a short presentation to the Council on Czech Competitiveness. His speech was the best in terms of its focus, but the businesspeople in the audience didn't like what they heard. In a heated discussion after he had left, several said that the thought of Paroubek becoming PM for a second time horrifies them. What are the options, though? Another four years of ODS, a party that threw a few pro-market morsels to the business community so that it would be left alone to rob the country blind? At least with populist Paroubek you know to hang onto your wallet at all times. Paroubek's presidential ambitions, and the fragility of the support for him within ČSSD, will also serve as a brake on his dark side. Another 1-2 years of Paroubek mustn't be so bad. [Czech Republic Social Democrats prime minister premier]