Opinion: The Prague Post Online

Madeleine for president?
This could be the Czech Republic's ticket to world dominance

By Noel O'Brien

Once again, the question of who should succeed Vaclav Havel as president has arisen. It was bound to; somebody eventually brings the matter up. This time, however, it was no less an august publication than Time Magazine that set the ball rolling, and Time did it in style. No wasting valuable column inches on your run-of-the-mill Czech senator or former dissident for that publication. Time's editors went for the most famous Czech after Havel himself: Madeleine Albright.

To be fair, it was the president who got this idea started in the first place. I can't help wondering what was going through his mind when he included Albright on his list of prospective successors. I mean, does he think she'd want the job? Wouldn't she miss the cut and thrust of world troubleshooting? She might like the country cottage that goes with the position, but wouldn't she be lonely in Lany?

Of course, Albright has officially denied any interest in the job, and the presidency isn't just there for the taking, anyway. Or for the giving, unless you happen to be in a position to secure a majority vote in both houses of Parliament -- not an easy task these days.

As a candidate, Albright couldn't go directly to the people. You see, here in the Czech Republic, the people don't actually elect the president. That's a job for politicians. So popularity with the public isn't much help; it could even be a major handicap. Politicians don't like to have anyone move in on their turf, even if that person happens to be the most famous secretary of state in the world.

Making the job fun
Albright wouldn't have the fun of contesting the primaries. There would be no walks to be walked or caucuses to be caulked. The vast fortune she could spend back home -- oops, I mean in the United States, where she presently resides -- on television commercials would avail her nothing. She would have no religious right to denounce, and the "lefty liberals" are a whole lot less liberal here. Not much fun, really.

But maybe she could bring some new vigor to the country. If the Austrians threatened to block Czech membership in the European Union (EU), she could issue sanctions or declare a no-fly zone around Linz or somewhere. Then, of course, there are the negotiations with the EU itself. If "the Fifteen" put obstacles in the way of harmonizing their trade regulations with those of the Czech Republic, she could fight it out at the World Trade Organization -- and win.

There would be work the world over for Czech diplomats. Not a conflict would go unresolved for the want of a Foreign Ministry envoy. Czech influence would spread far and wide, and countries that had especially good relations with the Czech Republic would be granted Most Favored Nation status. When she'd speak to the United Nations, they'd listen, and if they didn't, she'd veto the whole lot of them.

But to be honest, and I must, I can't see it happening. Prime Minister Milos Zeman and opposition leader Vaclav Klaus, for all they can agree on, would never agree to Albright for president. They'll come up with a safe, compromise candidate. Someone with clean hands and a warm heart, someone who will smile at the slightest sign of a photo opportunity.

It's a pity, though. In a few months, when the term of office of the president of the Most Favored Nation of all comes to an end, Albright may be available for work. If she can remember to pack her Czech passport, or can prove she has a clean criminal record, insurance, proof of accommodation in the Czech Republic and two passport-size photographs -- plus sundry other documents that nobody will tell her she needs until she gets here -- then she could have another perfect job waiting for her: Czech ambassador at large for culture.

Wait a minute. Wasn't that supposed to be Frank Zappa's job?

-- The writer is an Irish journalist based in Prague.