Koštunica denies split in DSS

Well Kostunica is right really. There is no split in his party because he has no competition in DSS. The cult of personality within DSS around its leader means there is nobody that is even close. It used to be Jocic (what a talent he is, a surefire vote loser!), but since his accident he has less influence. Nikitovic faces resistence from senior members of the party so he can forget about a senior party job, unless its reporting to Kostunica directly.

The point is that in DSS there is no alternative to the party line. Anybody who breaks away will probably face electoral oblivion. So any DSS individuals are more likely to defect to already existing parties.

However, if DSS members start peeling off to Nikolic on the one side and Tadic on the other the party is finished.

Kostunica might want to remember that little pieces of news like this preceeded the break-up of SRS though.

And what with the number of political mistakes Kostunica has made in recent years, you can't bet against him making a mess of things in his own party.

Brian, name one party in Serbia that is free of the disease known as the cult of personality.

Remember DS and the guy called Djindjic? When Vuksanovich beat him, Djindjich threw the guy out of the party (Vuksanovich then formed NDS which was absorbed by DSS some years later).

LDP -- remember Lechich? He used to be the Minister of Culture. He opposed the party line (or, rather, Yovanovich) and promptly got the boot.

The one thing Kostunica really needs to do is prepare someone for the top spot. My pick is Aleksandar Popovich.

I got an email from some dude I'd never heard of. Turns out he's the PRESIDENT of the Liberal Party (of Canada). Whaddaya know! And I consider myself well-informed as far as Canadian politics. Over here, the president of a political party is rarely, if ever, involved in politics hands-on. In Serbia, party president is alfa & omega.

That needs to change. And lets ban political parties from fielding candidates in local elections, while we're at it.

Well Kostunica is right really. There is no split in his party because he has no competition in DSS. The cult of personality within DSS around its leader means there is nobody that is even close. It used to be Jocic (what a talent he is, a surefire vote loser!), but since his accident he has less influence. Nikitovic faces resistence from senior members of the party so he can forget about a senior party job, unless its reporting to Kostunica directly.

The point is that in DSS there is no alternative to the party line. Anybody who breaks away will probably face electoral oblivion. So any DSS individuals are more likely to defect to already existing parties.

However, if DSS members start peeling off to Nikolic on the one side and Tadic on the other the party is finished.

Kostunica might want to remember that little pieces of news like this preceeded the break-up of SRS though.

And what with the number of political mistakes Kostunica has made in recent years, you can't bet against him making a mess of things in his own party.

Brian, name one party in Serbia that is free of the disease known as the cult of personality.

Remember DS and the guy called Djindjic? When Vuksanovich beat him, Djindjich threw the guy out of the party (Vuksanovich then formed NDS which was absorbed by DSS some years later).

LDP -- remember Lechich? He used to be the Minister of Culture. He opposed the party line (or, rather, Yovanovich) and promptly got the boot.

The one thing Kostunica really needs to do is prepare someone for the top spot. My pick is Aleksandar Popovich.

I got an email from some dude I'd never heard of. Turns out he's the PRESIDENT of the Liberal Party (of Canada). Whaddaya know! And I consider myself well-informed as far as Canadian politics. Over here, the president of a political party is rarely, if ever, involved in politics hands-on. In Serbia, party president is alfa & omega.

That needs to change. And lets ban political parties from fielding candidates in local elections, while we're at it.