ANO leader unveils proposed cabinet line-up; President rejects one nominee

ANO leader and the country’s likely future prime minister Andrej Babiš on Wednesday presented President Petr Pavel with the proposed line-up of his future coalition cabinet of ANO, SPD and the Motorists. The president said he would begin interviewing individual candidates on Friday, but refused to accept the nomination of Filip Turek, honorary president of the Motorists, who has come under fire for controversial racist and homophobic posts on social media.

The Motorists originally nominated Turek to the post of foreign minister, but later swapped portfolios and proposed him for the post of environment minister instead. According to Babiš, the president expressed the view that he should not be a member of the government at all, citing “legal reasons”. The ANO chairman said he respects the president’s decision and would discuss the matter with the Motorists.

All three parties have selected their own nominees to their given portfolios.

The consultations with individual nominees are expected to begin on Friday and should wind up within a fortnight.

President Pavel still expects Babiš to explain publicly how he intends to resolve his conflict of interest due to ownership of the Agrofert holding before he is appointed prime minister. No specific date has been set, but according to the Castle the new government could be in place by mid-December.