Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PRAGUE1502
2006-12-12 14:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

CZECH POLITICS: STRUGGLING CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS

Tags:  PGOV PREL EZ 
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VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPG #1502/01 3461447
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 121447Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8341
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001502 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE EFICHTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH POLITICS: STRUGGLING CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS
PICK OUTSIDER FOR NEW LEADER

REF: PRAGUE 1333

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4
b+d

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001502

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE EFICHTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH POLITICS: STRUGGLING CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS
PICK OUTSIDER FOR NEW LEADER

REF: PRAGUE 1333

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4
b+d

1.(U) SUMMARY. Jiri Cunek, until a few months ago, a
relatively obscure figure in Czech politics, was chosen to be
the new Chairman of the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL)
December 9 during an extraordinary party congress. Cunek beat
long-time party stalwart and former Justice Minister Vlasta
Parkanova 182 to 82. The party, which has been suffering a
serious decline in the polls, as well as an identity crisis
(REFTEL),also picked several new Deputy Chairs who had been
put forward by Cunek. It is still too early to say whether
Cunek and his team will reverse or exacerbate the party's
decline, or what impact the new leadership will have on the
efforts to form a coalition government that can pass a vote
of confidence. END SUMMARY


2. (C) Poloff met with Petr Rybar, the General Secretary of
the Christian Democrats on October 18. Rybar admitted he
didn't know who was going to run for the party leadership at
the December 9 Congress. He mentioned several possibilities,
but didn't include Cunek as a potential candidate. On October
28 Cunek was elected to the Senate with the biggest margin of
any candidate. When poloff met with Rybar again on December
1, Rybar predicted that Cunek would win the Chairmanship by a
60-40 margin over Parkanova. Cunek actually won 182 of the
300 votes - exactly 60%. Parkanova split the remaining 40%
with two other candidates. Cunek also succeeded in sidelining
long-time party leaders such as Jan Kasal, Deputy Chairman of
Parliament's lower house, and in elevating regional leaders
such as Roman Linek, the Deputy Governor of the Pardubice
Region and Stanislav Juranek, the Governor of South Moravia.
The sudden rise in Cunek's fortunes is attributed to the
publicity he received after forcibly removing Roma rent
defaulters from his town. While some party leaders, such as
Kasal, criticized the relocation as a simple, populist, and
insensitive solution to a complex problem, many members of
the general public came to see Cunek as a man capable of
action. The public debate generated widespread publicity for

Cunek, at the time a little known Mayor of Vsetin, and helped
him onto the national stage. It was during this acrimonious
public debate that Cunek had the first of several
unpublicized meetings with Jiri Paroubek, Chairman of the
left-of-center Social Democrats (CSSD). Cunek and Paroubek
have since established a close working relationship, which
could have an impact on the ongoing attempt to form a
coalition government.


3. (C) Rybar believes that the party's troubles were
linked to mistakes made by the previous party Chairman,
Miroslav Kalousek. Rybar identified two specific "strategic
mistakes." He said the party moved too far to the right and
got too close to ODS, and the party's anti-Communist position
was too strong. Cunek has apologized for steps taken by
Kalousek in February 2004 when Kalousek pulled the party out
of a coalition with CSSD and called for the resignation of
then Prime Minister Stanislav Gross (CSSD). Cunek has also
called for a debate on the party's unyielding stance towards
the Communists. Cunek's positions, as well as his nascent
relationship with Paroubek, could strengthen Paroubek's hand
in the ongoing talks between ODS and CSSD over a possible
coalition government.


4. (C) COMMENT. Rybar told poloff that if an
ODS/CSSD/KDU-CSL coalition succeeds, KDU-CSL would like to
have two ministries, ven if they are small ones such as
Culture and Eucation. Cunek himself might want a cabinet
seat The Governor of South Moravi Stanislav Juranek, who
supports Cunek and was elected one of the five Deputy Chairs
at the December 9 Congress, has also expressed some interest
in a cabinet post. Rybar doesn't see Kalousek accepting
either the Cultural or Education ministries. Rybar thinks
Kalousek could end up with a position as economic czar, or
even health minister. Rybar used the argument that former
CSSD Health Minister David Rath (CSSD) and current ODS Health
Minister Tomas Julinek (ODS) hate each other so muh (even
beyond the grave was the expression Ryba used) that no
compromise ispossible there. Kalousek could offer a third
alternative. Rybar acknowledged to poloff on December 1 that
the party was floundering. He explained the party's
membership continues to decline, guessing that it had fewer
than 40,000 members. He described a recent meeting of the
Plzen Regional Committee. Of more than 1000 potential
delegates, only 11 showed up. None of the four candidates for
Party Chair even bothered to go to the meeting. If Cunek is
going to lead the party back to its role as a small but
influential kingmaker, he and his new team will have to make
deals with political rivals, but also define a clear,

consistent identity for the party's followers. Cunek's
remarks at the weekend KDU-CSL congress were notable for
revealing almost nothing about his views on policy matters
(although in a subsequent interview he said he is a supporter
of missile defense). His election as party Chairman has
revived public discussion of his stance towards the Roma.
Some see his election as a sign that KDU-CSL is turning into
a more nationalist party. Others say it reflects the
difficult position the party finds itself in. It will take
more time to determine who Cunek really is and what his
victory means for the declining Christian Democrats. END
COMMENT
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