Three of the Acceding Countries face new political challenges, March 2003

Václav Klaus was elected President of the Czech Republic on 28 February. Mr Klaus succeeds Vaclav Havel, who completed a second Presidential term on 2 February, having served for 13 years. The election process took six weeks, with Members of Parliament making three attempts to elect a new President; Mr Klaus finally won by two votes. His victory is seen as a potential threat to the stability of the country's governing coalition, comprising Social Democrats, Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union.

The Czech Republic will be holding a referendum on EU membership on 15-16 June this year. Although the result will not be legally binding, popular support for accession is seen as important. A former conservative Prime Minister, Mr Klaus is seen as a Eurosceptic who will, said the Financial Times, 'prove a prickly customer for the European Union as he seeks to defend national interests ahead of entry to the 15-nation club next year.'

Radio Prague reported that reactions in the European press were 'mostly negative', with doubts being cast on the Republic's accession to the EU following the election of such a 'leading Euro-sceptic.'

Only months before Poland also votes on EU membership (probably on 8 June), its coalition government is also under pressure, with Prime Minister Leszek Miller of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) cutting his ties with the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) apparently following disagreement over a proposed tax intended to pay for improvements to the country's roads.

The result of the EU accession referendum will - as in the Czech Republic - not be legally binding, but a 50% turnout is required to ensure that the vote is seen as legitimate. Although voters are expected to support joining the EU, the Polish Peasants' Party - the country's largest rural party - has reportedly not yet decided whether it will be campaigning for EU membership, given that accession is not as popular amongst the farming community as amongst other groups.

Mr Miller's SLD still has the support of the Labour Union (UP), so the government is not bound to fall. The BBC quoted Mr Miller as saying: 'The SLD-UP coalition remains. We will seek support for our programme for development and European integration among the parliament and the people.'

The split in the coalition coincided with the presentation of what the FT called 'a long-awaited blueprint' intended to prepare Poland's public sector for the 'rigours' of EU membership. Presented by Poland's Finance Minister, Grzegorz Kolodko, the programme seeks to stimulate economic growth, increasing it to 6% by 2006, and thereby preparing the country for membership of the Single Currency in 2007. (Potential eurozone members must comply with the criteria for joining the Single Currency laid down in the Union's Growth and Stability Pact).

Meanwhile, on 2 March 2003, Estonia's citizens voted in a general election, for what the BBC described as 'the parliament which will almost certainly take it into both NATO and the European Union.' The poll ended in deadlock, with both the leftwing Centre Party (part of the country's current coalition government) and the conservative Res Publica party winning 28 seats in the Estonian Parliament. Estonia's President must nominate a new Prime Minister within the next two weeks.

Estonia has set 14 September as the date when it will hold its own referendum on joining the EU. Whatever coalition deal is reached, it seems certain that the next Estonian Government will support EU membership. It might, however, face growing resistance from voters: according to the BBC, 'recent opinion polls suggest that a majority of Balts are not so keen on the EU and NATO as their governments ...'

Links:

European Sources Online: Financial Times:
	28.02.03:	Czech coalition seeks unity in vote for new president
	28.02.03:	Klaus victory deals blow to Czech coalition
	01.03.03:	EU entry plan for Poland's public sector
	02.03.03:	Poland's ruling coalition collapses
BBC News Online:
	28.02.03:	Czechs elect leader at third try
	01.03.03:	Poland's ruling coalition collapses
	03.03.03:	Deadlock in Estonia election
Radio Prague:
	News

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: Monday, 3 March 2003

As the accession of ten candidate countries to the EU approaches, three future Member States - Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic - face important political challenges.