Abdication

While EU officials are whispering about the need to impeach Václav Klaus for failing to sign the Lisbon treaty, Miroslav Macek and Mirek Topolánek of ODS are encouraging him to abdicate. Macek says that by not signing and abdicating, Klaus could torpedo the treaty for good, because the Brits would hold a referendum before the Czechs could ever agree on a new president. Topolánek, in contrast, probably sees resignation more as a way to get the treaty ratified. He admits that Klaus probably isn't going anywhere, and it's hard to think of any reasons Klaus would even consider leaving. Except perhaps if a surprise resignation made it possible for him to anoint his successor. Instead of Miloš Zeman, though, Parliament's choice would likely be someone like Senate President Přemysl Sobotka. Malleability, you see, will be the chief characteristic of Czech presidents in the post-Lisbon era.