The End of the Topolánek Era?

23. 3. 2010

Former center right Civic Democrat (ODS) premier Mirek Topolánek made a controversial joke while being photographed for gay magazine LUI. In it, he mentioned current takeover government Prime Minister Jan Fischer as a Jew and Transport Minister Gustav Slamecka as being gay. He also criticized Christianism.

Senate head Přemysl Sobotka (ODS) asked Topolánek to resign as ODS leader. He said the comments were inflammatory and in conflict with basic Civic Democrat principles.

In the background, three top ODS leaders have been intriguing to take over the party, in case the wave of pressure against the former premier leads up to his reitrement. Relativelly newcomer to the national scene, Parliament's deputy leader David Vodrážka, his colleague Petr Nečas and former Minister of Interior Ivan Langer are gathering support for a share of internal power by the trio, preparing to the almost inevitable role of opposition, once a win by the Social Democrats (ČSSD) is almost irreversible.

What is interesting to note is the entering of a new era in Czech politics: when top politicians are expected to be politically correct, to not show extreme or emotional points of view, to not say out loud what perhaps may be accepted in a pub, but not in public life.

Until not long ago, high politicians, and low as well, could say whatever remark they wished, without the danger of being criticized to a point of resignation. Former Social Democrat (ČSSD) premier Miloš Zeman became notorious for his own share. It seems that the new generation of journalists, political advisors and the public itself is more demanding of a humanistic approach to social groups like homosexuals, other races, religion, women, etc.

In recent weeks the Czech media echoed old prejudices being expressed amidst jokes and conspiracy theories by union leader Jaromír Dušek (who accused the existence of a clique of homosexuals in the transport sector), but the latest could be unfair to Topolánek when it comes to homosexuals -- after all, he was candidly in a photshoot for a gay magazine and the criticism of Christianism as the roots for discrimination is a plausible and common view. He said the Church had brainwashed people and made idiots of the masses, though, using adjectives and language that seems to now have become sensitive and not well accepted by the general public.

There is a new aura in the Czech political spectrum, where certain things are understood as fine when said in a pub, between friends, but not in public, by a former prime minister.

What makes the episode more controversial, though, is what he said about premier Fischer. The way he built the sentence exposes that the main point are not Jews, nor gays, but the current prime minister's character. Fischer described the comments as "insulting, stupid and devious" and said he would limit to a minimum future contacts with Topolánek.

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