Brussels, 27/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Two months before the Czech Presidency of the EU is set to start, the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (ODS) is holding on by no more than a thread after the overwhelming victory of the Social-Democratic opposition in the senatorial elections of 25 October (the CSSD won 23 of the 27 seats being contested during this partial renewal of the Senate). Jiri Paroubek, the leader of the CSSD, is calling for early elections in 2009 and for Mr Topolanek to stand down immediately (which the latter refused to do on Monday). He has proposed setting in place a "government of experts" to lead the country during its Presidency of the EU.
Lisbon Treaty. The heavy defeat of the ODS in the Senate also had a direct impact on the parliamentary ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and the Czech Republic. Although the MPs have already approved the Treaty, the debate within the Senate has been suspended pending the verdict of the Constitutional Court, which the Euro-sceptic senators of the ODS had asked to take position on the compatibility of the Lisbon Treaty with the Czech Constitution (the court's opinion is anticipated for 10 November). Should the court conclude that the new Treaty does not entail any further transfers of sovereignty from the Czech Republic to the EU, the Treaty can be ratified by a simple majority of senators. In this event, the ODS would not have enough votes to block the ratification of the Treaty in the Senate. If, however, the Court takes the view that the Lisbon Treaty will bring about further transfers of sovereignty, a majority of 3/5 will be required for its ratification in the Senate.
As if the instability of the government was not already doing enough to disturb preparations for its European Presidency, President Vaclav Klaus has once again played down the importance of his country's first Presidency of the EU. The Union is controlled by Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy and there is no option for small countries to bring the slightest influence to bear, even if they do carry out a rotating Presidency, Mr Klaus told Czech television on 26 October. The Czech Republic should not, therefore, claim that it is capable of changing anything when it presides over the Twenty-Seven, Mr Klaus, a fierce opponent of the Lisbon Treaty, concluded. In an interview with the French daily newspaper Le Monde published on 26 October, the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwartzenberg said that the foreign and European policy of the country was driven by the government, "which is in favour of the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty", and not by President Klaus. The Treaty will be ratified by the end of the year, said Mr Schwartzenberg, who also stressed that his country was taking its preparations for its Presidency of the EU seriously and that it was no more Euro-sceptical than other countries in Europe. "It is my regret that we are being presented as the bad guys", he said (our translation). (H.B./trans.fl)