<<  <  >  >>

Populists in

remains unstable. Partly as a result of the eco-

even called on the Slovak army to "flatten

Budapest."23 No wonder, then, that in an act

nomic reforms that the Czech Republic

Central Europe

underwent in the 1990s and partly as a result

of unprecedented decisiveness, the socialist

have managed to

of the fast-growing global economy, the

members of the European Parliament ex-

combine right-

Social Democrats have presided over solid

pelled Fico's party from their ranks a mere 24

economic performance. Still, toward the end

hours after the new Slovak governing coali-

wing attitudes on

of their last term in office they increasingly

tion was announced.

public and private

relied on the support of the Communist

In Poland, the Law and Justice Party won

Party, which led to renationalization of the

the parliamentary election as well as the presi-

morality with

health sector and substantial tightening of

dency. President Lech Kaczynski appointed

left-wing attitudes

the labor code. The latter is particularly dam-

his identical twin brother, Jaroslaw, as prime

on economics.

aging given the country's 8 percent unem-

minister. That makes Poland the only country

ployment rate.26 The strength of the Social

in the world where the top two spots in the

government are occupied by two genetically

Democrats and their Communist allies in the

identical individuals. The economically diri-

new Parliament will likely stifle future eco-

giste and socially conservative Law and Justice

nomic reforms, including the flat tax propos-

Party formed a coalition government with

al that formed the core of the Civic

Andrzej Lepper's Self-Defense Party and

Democrats' election platform. It is increas-

Roman Giertych's League of Polish Families.24

ingly likely that the political stalemate in the

Czech Republic will have to be resolved

The economic program of the Self-Defense

through early election.

Party is based on opposition to the European

In Hungary, which also held an election

Union and increased financial support for

this year, the liberals won a mere 6.5 percent

Polish farmers. The program of the League of

of the vote. They formed a coalition with the

Polish Families emphasizes the Catholic doc-

Socialists, who won the election by lying to

trine of social justice and, consequently, great-

the electorate about the sorry state of the

er redistribution of wealth. All three parties

economy.27 It remains to be seen how long

adhere to some degree of isolationism, xeno-

phobia, and homophobia. Like their Slovak

the government will survive and how much

counterparts, the Polish leaders have engaged

of an impact the liberals will have on the gov-

in inflammatory and disturbing rhetoric.

ernment's economic policy. With the budget

Lepper, for example, has made numerous anti-

deficit predicted to top 10 percent of GDP in

Semitic remarks, praised Hitler's employment

2006, for example, the Socialists have pro-

policies, and accused gays of spreading dis-

duced a roadmap out of the fiscal crisis that

ease.25

includes substantial tax increases that may

hobble economic growth. Not surprisingly,

Although the situation in Slovakia and

the Financial Times warned that Hungary

Poland is serious, in the Czech Republic it is

risks becoming "the sick man of Europe."28

almost comical. In July 2006 the Czechs

delivered an electoral verdict that split the

The main opposition party, Fidesz, started

powerful Lower House of Parliament right

off as a market-liberal party in the early

down the middle. The market-liberal Civic

1990s, but has turned increasingly socially

Democratic Party of Mirek Topolanek won

conservative and economically dirigiste. The

the election but cannot form a new govern-

party's deputy leader Istvan Mikola, for

ment, because even with the support of its

example, has recently toyed with the idea of a

coalition partners, the Christian Democrats

state-sponsored "light" corporal punishment

for unruly children.29 Fidesz's boss, Viktor

and the Green Party, it has only 100 out of

200 seats. The socialist Social Democrats and

Orban, made promises concerning free

the communists have the other 100 seats.

healthcare, lower energy prices, and the rena-

And so, four months after the election, the

tionalization of some privatized state proper-

political situation in the Czech Republic

ty. He ranted against international capital

6