The 18th anniversary celebrations of the Civic Democratic Party was a bit of a slapstick comedy. The Castle said Václav Klaus had not been invited to celebrate the anniversary. Miroslav Macek called Topolánek a collaborator “with the Greens and the left-wing group centered around Havel”. However, the irritated reactions may indicate that the ODS is becoming a more open political party.
The ODS was enjoying its biggest success in the first half of the 1990s when it managed to enforce some important reforms, although at the cost of compromises with the coalition partners, ODA and KDU-ČSL. This “reformist coalition” fell apart soon after the motivation to change things had vanished. But rivalry among the leaders of all three coalition parties turned out to be even a stronger factor contributing toward the collapse.
Although now the ODS is experiencing a collapse of its government for the second time, the party leaders refer to each other with respect. Mirek Topolánek is probably aware of what his predecessor did not take into consideration: close personal relations among political leaders make cooperation in politics possible. Also it is a contribution to the future, though the government collapsed and was able to enforce only a few of its reforms.
Topolánek is able to get on well with the former president. Yet his party opponents are protesting: We are becoming the “truthlovers” of Václav Havel. By using this cliché, the followers of the former ODS chairman, who have much closer to political groups around Petr Mach and Vladimír Železný, are indicating their weakening position.
When the Social Democrats held negotiations in support of Miloš Zeman’s run for president, their former leader Vladimír Špidla opposed it, saying the ČSSD would be lost if Zeman was elected. At a time of its 18th birthday, the ODS leaves an impression that it can overcome all critical moments caused by the party founder.
