Chamber of Deputies to begin debate on no-confidence vote in Babiš administration

The Chamber of Deputies is due to begin debating  a no-confidence motion in the Babiš administration tabled by the opposition parties. The no-confidence vote, initiated just two weeks after ruling party lawmakers approved the government in a 108-91 vote, was called over mounting pressure on President Pavel from a member of the cabinet that the head of state said “amounted to blackmail”. The prime minister’s refusal to sack Foreign Minister Macinka over the incident or apologize for what the opposition described as “mafia-style practices” led the opposition to initiate the vote, although it is almost certain to fail. The opposition only has 92 seats in the 200-strong lower house and would need 101 votes to bring down the government.

Paradoxically, Foreign Minister Macinka, who is at the centre of the scandal, will not be present for the vote since he is on a working visit to the United States.