Better red than CSSDead

If Jiří Paroubek were a reasonable person, he'd agree to tolerate a 94-seat minority government of ODS and KDU-ČSL. He'd bring the Greens into the opposition and, with their help and the Communists, could recall the government at any time. Instead, though, he's forcing ODS Chair Mirek Topolánek to make a choice between an ODS-ČSSD grand coalition and a 94- or 100-seat government tolerated by the Communists. Neither is a good choice, but neither are early elections. ODS could be put in the uncomfortable position of having to convince the public - not to speak of its partners from KDU and the Greens - that an alliance with ČSSD represents a bigger risk to the country than accepting a few mercy absences in Parliament from the Communists. Indeed, many Czechs will agree that passive participation by the dwindling Communist Party is less menacing than active continued participation by Paroubek.