Václav Klaus: The Rise and Fall and Re-emergence of a Charismatic Leader
Václav Klaus: The Rise and Fall and Re-emergence of a Charismatic Leader

Summary/Abstract: Until recently, Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus came across as the most successful politician in postcommunist Central Europe. Hidden behind the walls of the Institute for Forecasting, he had been unknown to the general public and had kept little contact with dissident circles. In November 1989, leading dissidents from Charter 77 founded the anticommunist coalition, Civic Forum. Klaus quickly became one of their economic advisors. When they formed the first noncommunist government in December, they chose him to be their finance minister. During the summer of 1990, Civic Forum won the first elections on a centrist platform that favored social-liberal welfare policies. Nevertheless, the free-market supporter Klaus quickly wrestled control over economic policy from the third-way economists at the economics ministry. [...]

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