Biased president

This is a first: the Czech president joined the election campaign of one party. It goes, of course, against sound moral judgment because the head of state is not supposed to rally in support of any party. But getting irritated over Václav Klaus's conduct is useless. Rather, it's worth considering why this is happening.

During the presidential election, Václav Klaus and his supporters laughed off concerns voiced by some commentators that in his second term, Klaus will be able to do whatever he wants because he can't run for reelection anymore.

But we are now witnessing Václav Klaus break his promise that he would not favour any party. Why is he risking irritating the public? It's not just because he has nothing to lose. Václav Klaus feels he is getting closer to his dream of seeing the fall of Mirek Topolánek (he refused his proposal for a grand coalition that would be independent of the ODS and of Klaus), and he wants to help his friend Pavel Bém, at whose birthday party he recently made a toast, get to the top.

In order to initiate Topolánek's downfall, Prague [ODS] candidates for the Senate must be successful. And that is why Václav Klaus headed over to Old Town Square to support them. We will see whether it ends up turning against the candidates. Because Klaus's conduct could turn away those right-wing voters who are not Klaus fans.

The ODS is…