Czech PM says cooperation with KSCM impossible, with ODS feasible - Prague Daily Monitor
Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek (Social Democrats, CSSD) today ruled out the idea of the CSSD forming a government with the Communists (KSCM), the current junior opposition party, after the mid-2006 general election.

On the other hand, Paroubek can imagine cooperation in the government with the Civic Democrats (ODS), the current right-wing senior opposition party if they declare their support for the European welfare state principles, he told journalists in Bratislava where he attends the conference of the opposition left-wing Smer (Direction) party.

This news items is as much about Czech culture as politics. Communists have shaped much of the public and private conversation for the last 60 years and they still exert indirect (for many too direct) pressure on Czech politics. At least outwardly, no 'respectable' politician wants to negotiate with the Communists (despite their being the third largest party) which has made forming the government very difficult.