Imagine a country with no central government. Public Works, Military and Police would continue for a bit, but as time goes on and they aren’t paid they stop. The Czech republic is in such a situation. There is so much decisiveness the government hasn’t even been able to form. And so for the past 6 months there has been nothing, and for the last 100 days the current Premier has been butting heads with everyone.
Anarchy doesn’t always just happen. People do want order. But give them enough time and the cracks will widen, and it’ll just split up. It won’t be anarchy like some would like, but you’d have smaller local governments making the decisions. More info below.
Czech Premier Mirek Topolanek marked 100 days of trying unsuccessfully to form a government in a bid to end a six-month political stalemate, as economists’ warnings mixed with public derision.
Czechs, known for their sceptical attitude to authority and black humour, are making a joke of their politicians’ failure to forge a stable government.“What is the biggest non-governmental organisation in Europe? The Czech Republic,” runs one joke doing the rounds.
In a popular Internet parody of a pre-Christmas mobile phone campaign promising no false snow and cheap gimmicks, Topolanek’s head is superimposed on that of the well-known comic actor in the advert.
“We could have created a normal government for you, and an attractive one at that…but we said ‘no,” the grinning, Christmas jumper wearing rightwing leader pronounces using almost the same words as the original ad.
His main political rival, Jiri Paroubek, is given similar treatment in another parody of the ad. “When we mess it up, we mess it up for everyone,” the Social Democrat leader cries.
Another joke asks how you can recognize a former government minister. “He sits in the back of a car and it stays put,” is the response, referring to ministers’ customary use of chauffeur-driven limousines.
Even Topolanek’s fellow party chiefs have joined in. Asked recently if he thought there would be a government by Saint Mikulas’ day (December 6), one replied “Mikulas, which year do you mean?”
The seeming endless and fruitless negotiations since left and centre-right wing factions tied in the elections have even led a political commentator to suggest the former ruling pre-WWI Habsburg dynasty should stake a claim for the whole country after one family descendant called for the return of a Bohemian castle.
Topolanek has promised to reveal his latest Cabinet by the end of the week. His last attempt set a record as the shortest-lived Czech government of recent times after he failed to win a parliamentary vote of confidence but was nonetheless given a second shot at the job.
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