Communists to decide Saturday on whether to back new coalition

The Communist Party say they will decide on Saturday whether to back the second government now being formed by Andrej Babiš of ANO. Mr. Babiš’s ANO-Social Democrats coalition will not have a majority and would require the support of the Communists during key votes in the Chamber of Deputies.

Communist leader Vojtěch Filip has expressed opposition to some of Mr. Babiš’s choices for the new cabinet as well as elements of the planned coalition policy programme. He says there is some distaste within his party for supporting such a government.

If the Communists do back the ANO-Social Democrat minority coalition it would be the first time they have had any share in power in the post-1989 era.