The Presidency of Václav Klaus

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After a while I saw my view was somewhat naïve. The presidency of Havel was not without its faults. I also discovered that my view of Klaus was in the minority. Surveys have shown that over the years Klaus has commanded considerable confidence among the Czech population. An article from earlier this year, however, shows that the president’s approval ratings had fallen from 68% in April 2011 to under fifty percent at the same time in 2012. He still remains more highly regarded than the government or either house of parliament.

It would be easy to suggest that Klaus’ popularity is a reflection of his politics. However, anti-Europe feeling is on the rise here while Klaus’ rating is going down. Moreover, in 2003 when his approval sat around 60%, the 77% of Czechs who took part to in the referendum for EU membership, voted to join the EU. Admittedly, neither the survey nor the election reflect the views of everybody, but when the most overtly Eurosceptic political leader in the European Union has a high approval rating in a country which just joined Europe, it suggests that his stance on Europe isn’t the reason, or isn’t the only reason, for his approval.

If that’s the case, it must be a certain amount of respect which comes with the office, because not only do his high approval ratings diverge from the views of a significant number section of the population, he achieves these figures despite noticeable inconsistencies of both policy and character. In terms of policy, he decries the EU as being as undemocratic as the Soviet Union, yet is a supporter of Russia’s less-than-democratic leader Putin. Or, he professes to be a small government conservative while being renowned for his authoritarian style. At a personal level, questions remain about his connection to Lukoil, the nature of his election (It is likely Klaus won the presidential election with support from communist MPs), and the perceived corruption of the voucher privatization system during his time as prime minister. None of this seemed to affect his public support.

The amnesty has provoked anger and skepticism. It will probably halt some high profile cases, including the case against Tomáš Pitr, who is wanted for tax evasion. Pitr’s business success has been attributed to alleged connections in the government. As a final gesture, the amnesty will certainly mar Klaus’ image even further.
Outside of the Czech Republic, the president has his share of supporters and detractors. Klaus drew the ire of many at home and abroad because of his views on Prague’s first Pride March and his defense of spokesman Petr Hájek’s use of the word ‘deviant ’to describe the LGBT community. His supporters abroad include Margaret Thatcher and Lord Christopher Mockton, the latter who shares Klaus’ views on global warming. These views have seen him invited to speak by groups such as the Heartland Institute in the US or the Institute for Public Affair in Australia, two right wing think tanks.