The fall of the Czech ruling coalition led by Mirek Topolanek comes against a bleak economic backdrop shared by much of central and eastern Europe. But its underlying cause is the chronic weakness of the Prague administration. The collapse of the government also severely damages the Czech presidency of the European Union, which was already looking accident-prone.
The leadership of the European Union was plunged into disarray last night when the Government holding the rotating presidency collapsed after losing a vote of no confidence in the Czech parliament.
