Prague, Sept 4 (CTK) – The Czech scene ahead of the October 20-21 general election looks rather immature, with inappropriate excesses, compared with that of Germany, Jiri Pehe writes in daily Pravo on Monday.
Many say the situation in Germany is boring, since Angela Merkel will almost surely become chancellor for the fourth time, though Czech commentators predicted her defeat and fall into oblivion one year ago, Pehe writes.
At present, some Czech commentators warn that Merkel’s re-election will unfortunately “cement” the scene and policies of Germany, he says.
Why should not it be cemented? Germany has been a successful country in almost all respects, Pehe writes.
The situation in Germany, which looks like “pre-election nuisance,” stems from the country’s political and civic culture that trusts in democracy and in rational solving of problems. It does not react to even the slightest symptom of a crisis by hysterical efforts to change the whole political system and the rejection of all what has worked well so far, Pehe writes.
Compared with Germany, the Czech Republic unfortunately looks rather immature. Most recently, former Czech president Vaclav Klaus showed the Czech immaturity during his visit to in Germany, Pehe writes.
At a meeting of the far-right Alternative for Germany, Klaus “taught” its members that “a war threatening our prosperity” has been underway in Europe, with Germany being the present Europe’s battlefield. On this occasion, Klaus once again mentioned the failure of various -isms, the EU as well as Merkel, Pehe writes.
Unfortunately, Klaus, now an insignificant figure on the margin of political developments, is not the only Czech official to present himself so inappropriately, Pehe continues.
Although Czech economy has been growing unprecedentedly, the Czech unemployment rate is the lowest in the EU and the country knows the refugee calamity and terrorism from the media only, the Czech political scene is in chaos, Pehe writes.
The successes of the government led by the Social Democrats (CSSD) have not resulted in the prospect of the party’s another election victory, something that would probably happen in Germany within its pre-election “nuisance,” Pehe writes.
He alludes to election forecasts predicting that the senior government CSSD might end second in the October election, far behind the ANO movement, its partner in the centre-left cabinet.
Instead of supporting the CSSD, many voters support an oligarch who, true, also contributed to the cabinet’s successes, but who faces prosecution for a suspected subsidy fraud, Pehe writes, referring to ANO chairman, billionaire businessman and former finance minister Andrej Babis.
Babis has promised that if he becomes prime minister, he will transform the country into a business company with a firm hand management, Pehe writes.
As if the Czech public never got satiated with experiments. Instead of “Czech nuisance,” which would be appropriate in the Czech Republic as a relatively successful country, the local election campaign is likely to present a lot of populist candidates trafficking in fear, like Klaus, Pehe writes.
The issues that are really of crucial importance for Czechs and that would help them “cement” the country’s current successes, such as its active participation in further EU integration, will unfortunately be left aside once again, Pehe concludes.
