Faltýnek: Number of parties may complicate coalition formation

Following ANO’s major victory in the Czech general elections, the party’s deputy leader Jaroslav Faltýnek says they will do their best to reach agreement on forming a new coalition government as quickly as possible. Speaking in a TV debate hours after his party scored almost 30 percent in the elections, Mr. Faltýnek said, however, that coming to an arrangement would probably be more difficult given the high number of parties that made it into the lower house.

A record nine groupings crossed the five-percent threshold for election, including two, the Czech Pirate Party and Freedom and Direct Democracy, that have never been in the Chamber of Deputies before. Three parties scraped in on less than six percent.

Mr. Faltýnek said it was a good thing that President Miloš Zeman had set the latest date possible – 30 days from the election – to call the first session of the new lower house. This creates space for debate, the ANO deputy leader said.