Kupka runs from ODS's past

Petr Fiala had a successful first half-year as PM, buoyed by his response to the war in Ukraine. Yet by late-summer 2022, his popularity had plummeted, and it soon became a Merz-like question of stürzen oder stützen (topple or support). Like CDU in Germany, ODS was left with only the "support" option, with similar diminishing returns. After half a year as ODS chairman, Martin Kupka is already in a similar situation. He simply can't find his groove, partly because he's ceding the role of opposition leader to Petr Pavel. Whenever Kupka tries to go out on his own, as he did on Tues., he misses the mark. He accused Andrej Babiš on X of insider dealing at Prague Airport by hiring Kinstellar law firm, which had worked for Agrofert, to do a forensic audit. Kupka was right to question the selection process, but by bringing up the issue, he merely highlighted why the firm was hired: To review deals done while ODS was overseeing the Airport. Kupka probably knows better than almost anyone else what Kinstellar will find. And so he can already gauge whether it's time for him to step aside and to bring in someone who doesn't have any of the Fiala-era baggage.