Heroes and villains

Alexandr Vondra moved internal ODS relations back to the center of attention by organizing a powwow two weekends ago of nearly 40 ODS heroes who are supposed to help push aside the party's villains after the elections and make sure Petr Nečas is elected ODS chair (see LN). The stated goal is to rid the party of lobbyists and oppose a grand coalition with ČSSD. The public is supposed to accept Mirek Topolánek's assertion that ODS is being dominated by regional "godfathers," some of whom have ignoble intentions. What this overlooks is the role of the sponsors of these regional bosses, the Five Families (seven, if you include ČEZ and Czech Coal). They are one level higher up. Vondra, who is himself close to ČEZ, is in fact drawing Nečas tighter into this web. It might be wise to assume that Vondra's true remit is a grand coalition with or without Nečas, but definitely without Jiří Paroubek.