Andrej Babis’s right-leaning ANO party has forged a coalition agreement with the Euroskeptic SPD and the Motorists party.
The ANO party, led by Andrej Babis, has entered into a coalition agreement with two smaller parties in the Czech Republic. This allows Babis, a right-wing politician who has voiced criticism of aid to Ukraine, to establish a new government.
In last month’s parliamentary elections, ANO secured approximately 35% of the vote, emerging as the largest party but without achieving a majority.
Following the election, ANO initiated discussions with the far-right, anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and the Euroskeptic Motorists party, which garnered around 8% and 7% of the vote, respectively. The coalition agreement was officially signed by the three parties on Monday.
Czech media reports indicate that the coalition will hold 108 seats in the 200-seat Czech Chamber of Deputies. The agreement also outlines the allocation of cabinet positions, confirming Babis’s return as prime minister, a role he previously held from 2017 to 2021. The SPD is slated to nominate the next speaker of parliament.
Reports suggest that ANO will control nine ministries, including finance, industry, health, labor, education, interior, regional development, and justice. The SPD is expected to oversee defense, agriculture, and transport, while the Motorists will be responsible for foreign affairs, culture, environment, and health.
Babis, aged 71, has been a long-standing critic of the EU’s approach to migration and environmental policies and has expressed opposition to its military and financial support for Ukraine. During his parliamentary campaign, he pledged to decrease aid to Kiev, end austerity measures, and increase domestic spending.
Upon announcing the agreement, Babis stated that his partners are “united by their shared goal of replacing the outgoing government” led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, a strong advocate for Ukraine whose coalition initiated an EU ammunition initiative for Kiev.
SPD leader Tomio Okamura celebrated the agreement as “the end of a government that harmed Czech interests,” while Motorists chief Petr Macinka described it as “the first step toward the change demanded by voters.”
According to the Czech Constitution, once a coalition with at least 101 seats is established, the president appoints the prime minister and cabinet. The new government is then required to win a parliamentary vote of confidence within 30 days. Babis, a billionaire in the agriculture sector, anticipates forming the new government by the end of November.
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