Zeman rehabilitates ODS

Miloš Zeman reminded Czechs on Sat. that early elections aren't needed for replacing a government. Forget early elections, he told MFD. If Andrej Babiš came to him with a majority in Parliament of ANO, TOP 09 and ODS, he added, he would be obligated to appoint Babiš as the new prime minister. The current PM, Bohuslav Sobotka, took this personally and accused Zeman of trying to influence the outcome of the upcoming ČSSD party congress. It's true that Zeman rarely misses a chance to take a swipe at Sobotka, but this comment also has other significance. ODS was so discredited after the Nagyová affair brought down the government of Petr Nečas that Zeman refused to appoint Miroslava Němcová as PM, even though she apparently had the votes. Both ČSSD and ANO then refused to consider ruling together with ODS after the early elections. But now Zeman has stated unequivocally that he would appoint a government that included ODS. It's not like taking the first step on the moon, but it's a giant leap indeed for ODS Chair Petr Fiala.