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TOP grand coalition

2010-05-24
What would the Czech government look like if, as Petr Kolář of LN hypothesized in April, Miroslav Kalousek of TOP 09 became the next PM? This could only realistically happen if ČSSD and ODS agreed on a grand coalition but needed to disguise it, to avoid a blowout in the municipal elections this fall. TOP 09 is warning in a new advertisement against an ODS-ČSSD grand coalition with VV's support, but the TOP 09 lineup would be much more suitable. Kalousek has proven his willingness to accommodate both the military-industrial complex (he's a big supporter of using middlemen for arms deals) and the electrostate (he suddenly dropped his criticism of ČEZ's "privatization of public authority"). Karel Schwarzenberg, who promises to oppose the exploitive "power cartel," would be put in an uncomfortable position, but it wouldn't be anything the top foreign-ministry post couldn't cure quickly enough. [Czech Republic Věci veřejné Lidové noviny prime minister premier]