Election 2010: Results fail to spark int'l media interest

There was a subdued response to the Czech election result in the international press, with many outlets giving the result little coverage and others simply focusing on the expected fiscal austerity measures likely to be introduced by the right-wing coalition.

London's Financial Times said the results point to budget cuts and reforms and noted the appreciation of the crown after polls May 28 and 29 gave an unexpected victory to center-right parties.

"If the parties do manage to combine to form a coalition government, it would control 118 seats in the 200-member parliament, the largest majority ever," the financial daily reported. "The upshot is also likely to be a policy of budget cuts, and reforms to the health care and pension system, which pose a grave long-term threat to Czech finances."

Global newswire Reuters and The Wall Street Journal had similar responses, noting the coalition of the ODS, VV and TOP 09 would produce much-needed budget cuts, helping the Czech Republic avert a Greek-style economic crisis.

"After years of political instability the Czechs will most likely have a solid government that is ready to deal with big issues," The Wall Street Journal reported.

One of the most colorful responses came from German conservative daily Die Welt, which called the result "a political earthquake."

"After years of political chaos, the Czech Republic has a chance of stability, which is the major election consequence," it wrote.

But, for many other outlets, the election received little attention, with the United Kingdom's Times and Telegraph not covering the result and France's Le Figaro featuring a small article from newswire Agence France-Presse.

The BBC's Prague correspondent Rob Cameron said the lack of interest in the polls was because the Czech Republic faced the same problems as most other European nations.

"The issues facing the Czech electorate - slashing the deficit, reforming pensions, fighting corruption - are far from unique. The country isn't heading for economic meltdown like Spain or Greece. There's no frisson of ethnic tension like Hungary or Slovakia," he said.

Cameron added that apathy is exacerbated by the absence of interesting politicians on the local political scene. "This has been compounded further by the fact that Czech politicians have essentially taken a break from governing for a year. So, even those politicians that foreign audiences have vaguely heard of - Topolánek, Paroubek, etc. - haven't been anywhere near government, and therefore have been [rightfully] ignored by the international media," he said. "The vast majority of BBC listeners/viewers could probably mention one, maybe two Czech politicians - Václav Havel, naturally, and maybe Václav Klaus."

Interestingly, The New York Times made a misjudged call ahead of the polls, saying disillusionment with the main two parties could produce a major benefit for the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia.

Gabriella Hold can be reached at
ghold@praguepost.com