Running out of steam

Labor leader Milan Štěch isn't shy about accepting help from the Communists in passing paternalistic labor laws. His goal seems to be a triumvirate of the unions, ČSSD and the Communists. Jiří Paroubek fell into this trap but is now trying to pull himself out. He criticized the Communists last week and told Právo that it was likely a mistake for him to speak about a "government of talent" backed by the Communists. Paroubek relied on KSČM to pass the labor code and the sickness-insurance law - not so much because he believed in the laws, but because he thought social-minded legislation would win him the elections. Now that the Greens are taking votes away, Paroubek no longer knows what he stands for, and he risks losing his premiership and ČSSD chair. He has penciled in some foreign trips for Sept. as premier, but he might want to start thinking about erasing them. [Czech Republic Communist Party]