The recent scandal has not hurt voter preference for Public Affairs, according to results of a poll conducted April 7–12 by SANEP, after the “cash for loyalty” scandal broke. One winner in the crisis could be the Christian Democrats, who now hover close to the parliamentary threshold. Extremist parties also saw a boost in support, while the ODS, TOP 09 and both left-wing opposition parties saw slight drops.

Although Transport Minister Vít Bárta — the Public Affairs (VV) paymaster and de facto leader — has stepped down following the “cash for loyalty” scandal, President Václav Klaus said Monday he will not accept any resignations until Prime Minister Petr Nečas presents him with a plan on how a new government will continue. Meanwhile, VV is threatening to vote against the government in a no-confidence motion.

The Prague nightclub Abaton is advertising what it claims will be the “roughest party in town” on April 16. Piercing, piercing chains, scarring, branding, hanging on hooks, bondage, fetish S&M, latex, blood, pain, hardcore music… But the posters and flyers are misleading. The roughest party is playing out in Parliament, with Public Affairs (VV) de facto boss Vít Bárta calling the tunes.

Public Affairs was elected to parliament for the first time in the general election last summer on the back of an election campaign based on an anti-corruption crusade and shake-up of the staid and jaded world of Czech politics. However, in the nine months that the party has been in power its top leaders have figured in an unenviable record of controversies and scandals that sometimes appear as a never ending comedy of errors.