Zeman takes CSSD down

If Miloš Zeman had played his cards right, his announced departure yesterday from ČSSD could have been a positive step toward seeking cross-party support in the presidential elections. He could have enhanced his image even more by going on to convince the belligerent Zdeněk Altner to settle his legal dispute with ČSSD over compensation for regaining ownership of the party's headquarters. Instead, the Altner and Gripen affairs have so weakened Zeman's position that his departure from ČSSD looks instead - just as Jiří Paroubek suggested - like the desperate attempt by a political has-been to get back into the game. Zeman's free fall into political insignificance is good news for Paroubek in the short term, but not for ČSSD's future. Only Zeman could get Altner to settle. With ČSSD out of the government and out of pocket due to the huge amount it will have to pay Altner, its campaign budget in the next elections will be a fraction of ODS's. [Czech Republic Lidový dům BAE Systems]