• Czech inflation slows to 2.3 percent in September, statistics office estimates
    10/06/2025

    Year-on-year inflation in Czechia eased to 2.3 percent in September, down from 2.5 percent in August, according to a preliminary estimate released on Monday by the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ). Consumer prices fell by 0.6 percent compared to August. Energy prices, including fuel, were the only category to decline year-on-year, dropping by 3.3 percent. Without energy, inflation would have reached 3.1 percent. Food, alcohol, and tobacco rose by 2.9 percent, while services increased by 4.7 percent. The ČSÚ introduced preliminary inflation estimates this year in response to demand from financial markets and the Czech National Bank.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • President Pavel begins second day of post-election consultations
    10/06/2025

    Pirate Party leader Zdeněk Hřib arrived at Prague Castle on Monday morning for talks with President Petr Pavel, marking the start of the second day of post-election consultations with party leaders who entered the new Chamber of Deputies. Later on Monday, Pavel will also meet Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (SPD) head Tomio Okamura and Motorists leader Petr Macinka. On Sunday, the president held talks with ANO Party leader Andrej Babiš, who began post-election negotiations with SPD and Motorists after his party’s victory. Pavel has not yet tasked anyone with forming a government, calling such a move premature until a viable coalition majority emerges.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Library week starts in Czechia with focus on digital services
    10/06/2025

    The 29th Library Week begins on Monday across Czechia and runs until October 12. Organized by the Association of Library and Information Professionals (SKIP), it involves about 300 libraries offering talks, workshops, and fee discounts. This year’s focus is on digital access—visitors can learn about e-books, audiobooks, and online collections. A new webinar on October 9 will introduce Knihovny.cz, a service providing free e-books. Czech libraries, whose number has fallen from over 6,000 in 1995 to 5,161 last year, remain vital for education and bridging the country’s digital divide.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Weather
    10/05/2025

    Cloudy with rain or showers in about half the country, especially in the mountains. Daytime highs between 11 and 15 °C.

  • Foreign media see Babiš’s election win as clear, but coalition talks uncertain
    10/05/2025

    International media, including Politico and The Economist, highlighted that although Andrej Babiš’s ANO movement won the Czech parliamentary elections by a wide margin, forming a government will be difficult and may take months. The Economist described Babiš as a populist billionaire lacking charisma but able to grasp what ordinary Czechs care about. Politico noted that extremists opposing the EU fared poorly, yet Babiš’s victory could still mean reduced aid to Ukraine. Both outlets pointed to his unresolved conflict of interest over Agrofert and the ongoing Čapí hnízdo case as potential challenges for the future prime
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Czech tennis player Nosková misses out on Beijing title in the final
    10/05/2025

    Czech tennis player Linda Nosková fell short of winning the Beijing Open title, losing in the final to world No. 4 Amanda Anisimova 0–6, 6–2, 2–6. The match lasted one hour and 46 minutes. The 20-year-old Nosková, who beat Jessica Pegula in the semifinals, could not avenge her Wimbledon defeat to Anisimova earlier this year. Despite the loss, she will climb to a career-high world No. 17 and become the new Czech No. 1 on Monday. “I didn’t come here expecting to play the final, so it was a nice surprise,” she said, congratulating Anisimova, who replied that she was “sure we’ll have many more finals ahead of us.”
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Havlíček expects Czechia to start next year under provisional budget
    10/05/2025

    Karel Havlíček, first deputy chairman of the ANO movement, considers it likely that Czechia will begin 2026 under a provisional budget. He told the Czech News Agency that the timing will depend on when the new government takes office. President Petr Pavel said he plans to convene the first session of the newly elected Chamber of Deputies in early November, giving parties time for coalition talks. The outgoing cabinet submitted its 2026 draft budget at the end of September, but ANO and its possible ally SPD have both criticised it and signalled plans to return it for revision.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Experts say president Pavel’s cautious approach to forming government is standard
    10/05/2025

    Political scientists consider President Petr Pavel’s decision to wait before tasking anyone with forming a government to be standard procedure. They also regard his plan to convene the first session of the new Chamber of Deputies about a month after the elections as normal practice. According to analysts, the delay gives parties time to negotiate a coalition and fill key parliamentary posts. Lubomír Kopeček of Masaryk University noted that presidents never issue such mandates immediately after elections. Pavel Šaradín of Palacký University said the president’s timing is appropriate and helps ensure a stable government rather than a rushed deal.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • President Pavel says it is too early to task Babiš with forming a government
    10/05/2025

    President Petr Pavel said it would be premature to authorize the election winner Andrej Babiš and his ANO Party to begin coalition talks. He explained that such a step will only make sense once a government outline emerges that has a realistic chance of winning support in the Chamber of Deputies. Speaking after Sunday’s consultations with some of the party leaders at Prague Castle, Pavel added that he plans to convene the new parliament in early November, giving parties enough time for negotiations. The president noted that the election results show most citizens reject extremist views and support Czechia’s pro-Western orientation. He will continue to consult other party leaders on Monday.

    Some legal experts argue that Babiš cannot serve as prime minister unless he completely severs ties with the Agrofert conglomerate, which he founded. According to Pavel, he and Babiš discussed the matter earlier this week and again on Sunday during post-election consultations.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Czechs abroad favored the Spolu coalition, ANO performed poorly
    10/05/2025

    Czechs living abroad voted overwhelmingly for the Spolu coalition of the Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats, and TOP 09, which received 39.3 percent of the vote. The Pirates came second with 28.2 percent, followed by the Mayors and Independents (STAN) with 21.5 percent. Other parties failed to pass the five-percent threshold. The ANO movement, which won the national election with more than one-third of all votes, gained only four percent among voters abroad. Motorists and the far-right SPD each received about two percent. A total of 79.4 percent of registered voters abroad cast their ballots, with 8,978 using the postal vote for the first time. Election officials, however, invalidated 221 ballots sent by mail for not meeting legal requirements.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

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