UPI.com, 26 Mar 2009, MARTIN WALKER
FRANKFURT, Germany, March 25 (UPI) -- Normally the defeat of a Czech government on a vote of confidence would not cause any great stir around the world. Little will change in the Czech Republic since the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek is likely to remain in office as a caretaker at least until the Czech presidency of the European Union comes to an end on June 30.
But the government's defeat now makes it unlikely that the Czech Senate will ratify the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which is supposed to streamline its ponderous decision-making. Hitherto, the biggest threats to Lisbon have been the German Constitutional Court, which may rule that it erodes fundamental German rights, and Ireland's "no" vote in a referendum.
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