President Pavel says it is too early to task Babiš with forming a government

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.