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. It is a vivid demonstration of the need for a semi-permanent EU president, as envisaged by the Lisbon treaty.

Though the end of the coalition comes just days after the Hungarian prime minister said he would quit, it would be wrong to see central and eastern Europe as an area afflicted by a single malady. While Hungary is in the midst of an International Monetary Fund rescue programme, the Czech economy is healthier, albeit suffering from a drop in demand for its exports. But the political turmoil in the Czech Republic will not add to the impression of stability in the region.