Twenty-three years with Klaus

Sometimes the path to victory is more interesting than the victory itself. That is definitely the case for Václav Klaus's re-election. Few doubted he was going to defend his presidential post. The questions were, rather, how much support he would get, from which sides, and what reactions the vote would trigger on the political scene. Let us have a look.

It was an unexpectedly interesting and tight contest between two candidates, and between two completely different worldviews. Also unexpectedly for the Czech Republic, both Klaus and Jan Švejnar openly declared they wanted the top job, that they were looking for it and that they were ready. No more „if you really want, I will sacrifice myself and take the job“ rhetoric.

That the better of the two candidates lost is no big deal – that happens. To some extent, that should be the last memory of Švejnar's crusade. If some want to contemplate what could have happened had things developed differently… – please help yourselves, but it is completely useless.

Under Klaus, the Czech Republic will be neither a worse nor a better country. These things are determined by other institutions, including the cabinet, Parliament and regional administrations. The country might be more pessimistic and a bit more ridiculous. At the weekend, lawmakers were mainly electing a symbol.

And what will be the…