Babiš's unlucky numbers

05.12.2017 - EB

There's a distinct difference in Czech election terminology between "support for" and "tolerance of" a government. Unless Andrej Babiš wants to taint himself in Europe as a PM who consorts with Communists and "extremists," his lucky number in the first confidence vote (unless the "democratic" parties come around by then) is 122. All non-ANO MPs would vote No. Any "tolerance" on the part of KSČM or SPD by walking out would brand Babiš indefinitely. Even still, to win a confidence vote based on "tolerance," he would need eight more votes. Who else would want to be branded? But if the Communists or SPD "supported" Babiš, the threshold for a confidence vote would fall considerably. If KSČM and ANO together voted Yes, 15 other MPs would need to leave the chamber. If SPD and ANO together voted Yes, only one other MP would need to leave. And if ANO, SPD and KSČM all voted Yes, the 85 "democratic" MPs would likely make history by storming out.

Glossary of difficult words

distinct - recognizably different in nature from something else of a similar type;

to taint - to affect with a bad or undesirable quality;

to consort with - habitually to associate with (someone), typically with the disapproval of others;

to come around - to be converted to another person's opinion;

to brand - to mark out as having a particular bad or shameful quality;

threshold - a level, rate, or amount at which something comes into effect;

to storm out - to leave a place angrily.



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