Civic Democrats chief: Early elections closer after recent events

The chairman of the opposition Civic Democrats, Petr Fiala, says Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has so many personal and family problems that he is unable to concentrate on serving the country. He told Saturday’s edition of newspaper Právo that recent events mean that the Czech Republic has moved a step closer to early elections.

The Civic Democrats were one of a number of opposition parties that tabled a no-confidence vote in the ANO-led government after Mr. Babiš’s son sparked a scandal by saying he had been taken to Crimea to “disappear” during an investigation involving the PM and alleged corruption.

Mr. Fiala told Právo the defeat of the no-confidence vote had not been a foregone conclusion. He said the junior party in the coalition, the Social Democrats, had displayed cowardice by not taking part in the show of hands.

The Social Democrats have also pledged to work to dissolve the lower house in certain circumstances and this is reason to believe the current government cannot last much longer, Mr. Fiala said.