Václav Klaus
Czech president and one of the most interesting politicians, proud and outspoken, Václav Klaus is both hated and loved. During communism, he studied Economy and was a very good basketball player. He met his future wife, Livia, at university and received his degree in 1968. During Normalization, he worked at the Czech National Bank, meeting many of his future political friends.
Never really a dissident, he supported Havel’s activities and entered his Civic Forum, which he saw only as a temporary political unit, never as a legitimate party – this was the first of many conflicts between him and Václav Havel. In 1989, he became Financial Minister and one year later head of the Civic Forum. Klaus’s concept of a rightist party wasn’t corresponding with the Forum’s liberally-social concepts. This led to the party’s break up into ODS (Civic Democratical Party) led by Václav Klaus and Civic Movement (OH), a more leftist political structure.
Klaus and his party won the elections in 1992, promising “freedom and welfare”. He was the main negotiator of the Velvet Divorce in 1993 and then became Prime Minister of the newly formed Czech Republic.
He also conducted the transfer from planned economy to free market, sometimes being called “the father of Coupon Privatization”. People had problems adjusting to this new model of liberal state led by the invisible hand of market and ODS barely won the elections in 1996. Scandals concerning corruption and illegal sponsorships surrounded the party and Klaus had to resign as Prime Minister, leaving the Governement to ČSSD, Social Democratic Party that has been winning the elections ever since.
The charismatic figure of Vaclav Klaus stayed in the spotlight and it was no surprise when he stepped down as leader of ODS and set his sight on Czech Presidency. Considering that the election of President isn’t direct, it took three rounds, many opponents and discussions for Vaclav Klaus to take the function in 2003.
Due to his anti-EU statements and a critical view on the current Czech leading party, the ČSSD, Klaus is praised by the conservative right and rich businessmen. A skilled diplomat and a respected politician, he isn’t that popular at home. Jokes about his young lovers and plastic surgery have turned him into an easy target, but walking in Havel’s footsteps would be a hard task for anyone and Klaus is preparing to be elected for the second time.
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