I think this post rather overstates the political ...

2008-03-16T17:12:00.000Z

I think this post rather overstates the political influence of Klaus as president - mistaking his high international profile for domestic influence. The Czech President has pretty limited powers and Klaus is semi-detached from his party. The real dynamic is that between eurosceptic true believers and pragmatists in the Civic Democrats and between the Civic Democrats and their small europhile coalition partners. And, of course, not introducing the euro does allow a certain margin for manoeuvre as you know in the UK...

The most striking thing is that Czechs still crave approbation and a pat on the head from visiting foreign thinktankers - do Czech analysts get asked how they rate the UK's performance in the EU when they visit London? I rather doubt it. Frankly, Czechs should (and in fact) more or less have worked out their middle of the class status and other problems for themselves.

Comments on Centre for European Reform: The Czechs in the EU: In the middle of the class

I think this post rather overstates the political ...