Protest votes

Mainstream Czech voters who might want to punish their politicians for misleading them about the Iraqi threat would have a hard time doing so. In Spain, where 90% of the public opposed the war, the lines were clearly drawn. Voters were able to choose between the ruling Populist party, which got the country into Iraq, and the Socialists, who opposed what they called a war built on lies. In the CR, only the Communists were categorically against the war. The other opposition party, ODS, was one of the biggest backers of U.S. policy. The senior coalition party, ČSSD, was sharply divided on the war but supported a basically pro-U.S. position on the cabinet level. Czech voters who decide to cast a protest vote will have essentially two choices: Either hunt out and support individual politicians whose position is unambiguous, or vote for the Communists.