Prague - "If we want to clear the country's debts, stop waste and corruption, we need a new constitution. It is the only way of putting the economy back on healthy foundations," said Czech economist Pavel Kohout in an interview with Aktualne.cz.
Kohout, one of the most renowned economist in the Czech Republic, is an analyst for the Partners company as well as member of the National Economic Council (NERV), an advisory board for the Czech government.
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According to Kohout, the biggest problem of the Czech political framework is instability. "Rules change every year. Why? Because we haven't got a stable government and parliament for a long time. Our system produces unstable coalitions and political bargains. It is a breeding ground for corruption and instability."
Kohout said that Czech deputies currently "dedicate 99 percent of their energy" to political conflicts and negotiations, instead of focusing on more important issues, above all public finances.
"I consider a stable political system the best pro-growth measure," said Kohout, who believes that a new constitution should above all change the current electoral system.
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"For example, the Chamber of Deputies operates as an organ of collective non-responsibility. That's why the Senate should be given equal powers. Next, I would abolish the function of prime minister. As in the US, this function should be carried out by a directly-elected president."
"It is necessary to introduce a system that would get rid of the necessity of coalitions," said Kohout, adding that a system of checks and balances would have to be implemented too in order to prevent a one-party dictatorship.
Another problem is the fact that candidates for the Chamber of Deputies run on electoral lists representing political parties. "In the new system, politicians should have direct mandate from voters," Kohout said.
"It is not sufficient to replace politicians with new ones, the system must change its foundations. Why have we had a permanent political crisis, basically since 1997, with no hope for some conclusion? The present constitution is erroneously structured, it contains a whole series of logical errors and paragraphs that contradict each other. The Czech political system principally does not allow stability and suppresses politicians' personal responsibility (to voters)."
