Final Word from Tuesday, November 5, 2002
Miloš Zeman, we are told, is convinced that he'll be the next president. Alexandr Mitrofanov, Právo's expert on ČSSD, wrote yesterday that Vladimír Špidla might already be reconciled to the idea that Zeman will get the job. The weak Špidla, he said, might be looking forward to unofficially handing power back to the much stronger Zeman. There is also the possibility, not mentioned by Mitrofanov, that Špidla struck a deal with Zeman when he obsequiously visited his ex-boss at Zeman's cottage recently. Mitrofanov wrote yesterday that ODS might also be willing to back Zeman. But why? Zeman could offer Klaus some kind of deal, such as the top job in parliament, but would that be enough to get Klaus to drop his own presidential ambitions? Zeman might indeed be the next president, but how he's going to get there isn't clear yet.