Between Domestic-Policy Turbulences and the Lisbon Treaty

The current domestic and European policy of the Czech Republic is characterized by one person – the president and ’Euro-realist’ Vaclav Klaus. However, not all citizens of the country, which is currently facing many problems, share the view of this EU-critical head of state. These problems include domestic instability, the weakness of prime minister Mirek Topolanek, the controversial reform process, the deployment of US radar stations, and the Lisbon Treaty. This is the situation in which the Czech Republic, now confronted by the consequences of the financial crisis on top of everything, will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union in January 2009.