May 26 (Reuters) - Czechs will elect a new parliament on May
28-29 in a vote pitting leftists, who promise to hike taxes on
the rich and raise social benefits, against rightists who aim to
cut spending and say a leftist victory could bankrupt the state.
The following are key facts about the central European EU
member's two main political leaders competing in the election:
JIRI PAROUBEK, SOCIAL DEMOCRATS:
The 57-year-old trained economist has been dubbed
"Bulldozer" for his authoritative way of handling the 132-year
old Social Democratic Party.
Paroubek, prime minister from 2005 to 2006, has campaigned
on a pledge to shield ordinary Czechs from the swings of the
free market -- like the risk of unemployment -- by raising taxes
on top earners in order to afford more generous social benefits.
Hiring political marketing specialists from the United
States, he has built the party's agenda around opinion polls and
has drawn inspiration for bold rhetoric from Robert Fico,
Slovakia's highly popular prime minister.
However, Paroubek has alienated many Czechs due to his past
as a manager in the Communist era, his tough approach and a
somewhat wooden manner. He is adored by some older voters but is
particularly unpopular among younger Czechs, making him both the
most liked and most disliked politician in opinion polls.
One of the portly leader's key moments came last year when
his party toppled the centre-right cabinet midway through the
country's EU presidency, throwing the country into political
chaos just when it was under close scrutiny in Europe.
His lowpoints include a rally last year at which a crowd of
young opponents within his own CSSD party, organised over
Facebook, pelted him with eggs. In 2008, a businessman with
suspected links to the underworld was shot dead at a launch
party for a book written by Paroubek.
Some party leaders from the centre and the right-wing have
said Paroubek is an unacceptable partner for them but that they
could work with other Social Democrats.
PETR NECAS, CIVIC DEMOCRATS
Necas unexpectedly took over the battered right-wing Civic
Democrats (ODS) last month when the previous chief, Mirek
Topolanek, resigned after a series of public relations gaffes.
The party picked Necas because, unlike many other ODS
leaders, he is seen as untainted by corruption scandals that
have rocked the traditionally pro-business party.
The 45-year-old trained physicist has been a long-serving
ODS vice-chairman, whose main expertise is in social affairs.
A mild-mannered conservative from the country's east and
father of four, Necas drives a small, cheap car and had been
hardly visible among the party's leaders until he took over the
election campaign.
Analysts say that because of his short time at the party's
helm, few Czechs have formed a concrete opinion of Necas.
But many people see him as honest, and opinion polls show he
is much less divisive than his predecessor and Paroubek, as well
as less unpopular. Necas was deputy prime minister and social
affairs minister in 2007-2009.
