Mirek Topolanek, Czech Prime Ministerspeaking at the EU today
Yikes! To an American used to a Presidential system that sounds like no one is in charge. And it seems even weirder when the Czechs are in charge of the EU yet the party in power representing the Czech government doesn't have "the confidence" of the people of the Czech Republic according to their representatives. How is the EU supposed to have confidence in the Czechs then?
A friend schooled in the way of European systems calmly shrugged and said "it's usually some sort of blackmail when this happens. That's how people get what they want in parliamentary systems. They trade stuff." Now that's a system I'm familiar with. It sounds an awfully lot like "Yes, I'll vote for your multi-trillion dollar (Iraq war/stimulus package/insert anything else here) if you give me my $5 million earmark so I can prove to my district back home that I"m looking out for their interests and bringing home the bacon."
But it all seems weird if you want the American President to listen to you and he's coming in two weeks but you have no confidence in the guy who's supposed to be listening. Please Czech people, explain this all to me! Why would you lessen the power of the person representing you right before company comes?
And then when it comes to the EU, who is supposed to be listening? Sometimes I see the Prime Minister representing the EU Presidency, sometimes the foreign minister, sometimes a different minister, yet another time the Czech President. Who exactly is the "face" of the EU Czech Presidency? I don't get it. I am a willing student so please explain away.
Today, the prime minister went before the EU and said "the United States stimulus is 'the road to hell.' Uhhh, OK. Gee, welcome to Prague, Mr. Obama.
Click on my title to read the full story.
3 comments:
This has been a new and perplexing issue for me, too!! Jiri is trying to explain these things patiently...but it still boggles my American mind!
This current government has been in a strange position since I first came to live here. There was no government, to speak of, for several months as they wrangled out the problems!
Very strange for us newcomers--and very weird to see how this will be handled with President Obama coming in a week!!!
I'm in confusion along with you--and wanting to understand how all this works!!!
Have a great day!
Sher :0)
Hi Karen,
I will try & 'explain away' to the 'willing student'!
The American system provides for an elected President, the Head of State, with considerable powers, who heads your Government Executive. This Executive is totally separate from your Legislature, the two houses that make up Congress. The only European democracy with a similar system, is France.
Most other European democratic states either have an elected President (e.g. Germany, Czech Republic) or a Constitutional Monarch (e.g. UK, Spain, Sweden) as Head of State but with very limited powers. In these countries, the Governing Executive is formed by the majority party/parties in the elected Legislature.
Ironically, the only time that these Presidents/Monarchs have much say in what happens is in situations such as has just occured here in the Czech Republic, where President Klaus will have to decide who to ask to form a new government that can gain majority support in the Czech parliament. Even then, there are normally guidelines or past precedent to go by.
I accept entirely that the events of last Tuesday have left a somewhat lame-duck government headed by Prime minister Topolanek. However, something similar has happened under the American system before now when you have Congress controlled by Democrats & the President is Republican or vice versa. The President proposes legislation & Congress refuses to pass it. The elected President and his appointed executive is not allowed to govern - absurd isn't it?
That this vote of no confidence should have happened during the Czech Republic's six months Presidency of the EU, does relect somewhat badly on the country and some of its politicians, who have put personal squabbles & advancement against the greater good of the country as a whole. And that it should have happened 12 days before your President is due to visit makes it doubly stupid.
However, I could be provocative & point out that in the four years before President Obarma was inaugurated, who were visiting Presidents & Prime Ministers seeing in Washington? A President in power by virtue of faulty voting machines in Florida & who, for the last couple of years, one that was a complete lame-duck because he could not stand for re-election!
Ricky, this was informative AND funny! See, you helped me see my own country from the parliamentary point of view. I also see now why I thought France's presidency of the EU was so effective. Their system is similar to America's where one person serves as the "face" of the government. I thought Sarkozy did a good job too. I especially appreciated him coming over to America and demanding better financial regulation of the American market. When Europe is unified and speaking with one voice like that, your continent can help us demand what we haven't yet been able to get on our own!
Post a Comment