Czech PM Babis heading for opposition after losing election
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says he wouldn't accept an offer to try to create a new government after his centrist ANO political movement narrowly lost in the parliamentary election last week and is ready to end up in opposition
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said he wouldn't accept an offer to try to create a new government after his centrist ANO political movement narrowly lost in the parliamentary election last week and was ready to end up in opposition.
Babis announced his decision in an interview for the Frekvence 1 radio station on Friday.
“We’ll hand it over to the new coalition and we’ll be in opposition,” the populist billionaire said.
Babis’ decision opens the way for two coalitions of five parties that have won a majority in the vote to rule.
A liberal-conservative, three-party coalition named Together captured 27.8% of the vote on Saturday, beating Babis’ ANO (YES) party, which won 27.1%. A center-left liberal coalition received 15.6% to finish third.
The two coalitions have pledged to govern jointly. They’re closer to the European Union mainstream than Euroskeptic Babis.
Together won 71 of the 200 seats in the lower house of parliament and the center-left alliance won 37 seats, which would give their government a comfortable, 108-seat majority.
Babis’ ANO won 72 seats, six fewer than it did in the 2017 election.
President Milos Zeman who is currently hospitalized previously said he would first give a mandate to the leader of the strongest party, not the strongest coalition, which would give Babis a chance to try to put together a viable government.
Petr Fiala, the leader of Together, is the candidate for the new prime minister.
Zeman will have to accept the resignation of the outgoing government after the opening session of the new lower house of Parliament that begins on Nov 8. He will then have to select the prime minister.