Final Word from Friday, September 13, 2002
MP Hana Marvanová of US-DEU might end up leaving the chamber today to allow the coalition government's tax changes to pass by a single vote. If she stays seated and votes against the move, she could bring on the fall of the government coalition. Some people say it's already hanging by a thread anyway. US is being kept together artificially, a reader said, and the sooner it disappears the better. A credible right-wing party needs to rise from the ashes, the reader argued, and the main question is whether it can be a reincarnated and expanded ODS - minus Václav Klaus, Ivan Langer, Vlastimil Tlustý, Jan Zahradil, etc. - or whether a new party will have to be created. Some people are putting their hopes on Jan Kasl and his European Democrats. If Kasl wins the Prague elections, ODS will come under more pressure to reform. If Pavel Bém leads ODS to victory, the future of the right might fall into his hands.