JUNE 24, 1998

P R E S S  R E V I E W

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Analysis of political developments in the wake of last weekend's general election and outcomes of the first meetings between the leaders of parliamentary parties -- that's on the menu in all Czech papers today.

Left-of-centre PRAVO suggests that Freedom Union leader Jan Ruml's verbal unforgiveness towards the political style and conspiratorial manoeuvring of the ODS and chairman and former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus is slowly but surely evaporating. The paper thinks this may frustrate President Vaclav Havel's plan to convince his old friend and fellow-dissident under communism that he should make concessions towards a possible two-party coalition of the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats.

According to the top-selling daily MLADA FRONTA DNES, the Christian Democrats are losing faith in the viability of their intended coalition with the Social Democrats and the Freedom Union. The paper writes in an editorial that, because of Jan Ruml's obstinacy, many party officials have come to realise that this variant may not be more than wishful thinking and daydreaming.

The liberal newspaper LIDOVE NOVINY assumes that it is Mr Ruml, rather than Christian Democrat strongman Josef Lux, who actually holds the key to forming a new cabinet. The paper speculates that, in the event of a coalition among the Social Democrats, Christian Democrats and Freedom Union, Mr Lux would find it easier to strike a deal with Zeman rather than with ODS chairman Klaus. The paper notes that political and programme divisions between the Union and the ODS are nearly as deep as those between Jan Ruml's party and the Social Democrats.

The business-oriented daily HOSPODARSKE NOVINY subscribes to that by saying that Social Democrat Zeman finds it increasingly difficult to form a government. It says that the ODS, Christian Democrats and Freedom Union are probably poised at this stage to strike a new coalition deal. But talks on the programme and policy of their potential alliance probably will not start until Mr Zeman has failed to form a government.

And finally, middle-of-the-road SLOVO suggests that because of precarious personal relations, there still exists the option of a cabinet without party leaders. The paper says that Klaus, as well and Lux and Ruml, have been in the administration ever since 1990, and their behaviour, programmes and rhetoric betray a measure of fatigue. Lux could be swapped for President Havel's protege Cyril Svoboda. But finding a replacement for Vaclav Klaus may be a difficult job. It is sad to see a potential right-wing cabinet depend on one man, the paper concludes. 

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