Czech President Petr Pavel on Monday appointed Andrej Babis, the billionaire head of the populist ANO party, to launch nereceivediations on forming a new government after his party’s victory in this month’s parliamentary election.
The shift marks the latest step in Babis’s bid to return to power as the countest’s next prime minister.
Since the October 3-4 election, ANO has been in talks with the right-wing, eurosceptic Motorists and the far-right, anti-European Union and anti-NATO SPD parties, which would hold a combined 108 out of the 200 seats in parliament’s lower houtilize.
The parties are finalising a joint government agconcludea that is likely to lead to higher fiscal spconcludeing, less support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia and stronger opposition to EU migration and climate policies than under outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right government.
Pavel stated he entrusted Babis with forming a government due to the course of nereceivediations between the parties. He stated he would see the text of the planned government agconcludea in the second half of this week.
Next Step In Forming Government
Asking Babis to officially lead talks is another step in the handover of power, and comes before Babis can be nominated as prime minister-designate.
Babis stated on X he aimed to form a government by mid-December. He stated earlier he had informed the president about parts of the shared programme, including foreign policy.
After finalising a joint government agconcludea, parties must agree ministerial nominations.
ANO officials stated last week the countest’s anchoring in the EU and NATO was explicit and “unquestionable” in the agconcludea. The SPD had campaigned demanding a law allowing a referconcludeum on those issues.
Pavel, a former NATO official who has focutilized on foreign policy and security aspects in the government talks, has also urged parties to maintain a Czech-led and foreign-funded programme shipping artillery ammunition to Kyiv, which Babis has called overpriced and non transparent.
The president appoints prime ministers and ministers. Parliament meets on November 3, after which it elects a new houtilize speaker before the resignation of the current cabinet – the earliest time a new prime minister can be appointed.
Babis also faces conflict of interest questions related to his food, agriculture and chemical business empire. Pavel stated Babis ensured him he would publicly address this before any possible appointment.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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