Who will govern Czechia? New cabinet unveiled
The winner of October’s general elections and likely future prime minister, Andrej Babiš (ANO), on Wednesday delivered the proposed line-up of his new three-party cabinet to President Pavel. Only one nominee failed to pass muster- the controversial honorary chair of the Motorists’ party, Filip Turek, who has been linked to racist and homophobic posts on social media.
All eyes were on Prague Castle on Wednesday, where ANO leader Andrej Babiš was expected to unveil the names of the country’s future ministers. The new cabinet will have 16 members, with 9 portfolios going to the ANO party of billionaire businessman Andrej Babiš, three to the anti-EU, anti-migrant SPD and four to the Motorists’ party who are vocal critics of the EU.
Under the coalition agreement reached, each party selected its own nominees for their given portfolios on the understanding that they would respect each other’s choice.
The ANO party, which in line with its election result, has the lion’s share of ministerial posts predictably nominated its own former ministers and seasoned politicians to the new cabinet. Former finance minister Alena Schillerová will be in charge of finances, former trade minister Karel Havlíček will take charge of the industry and trade portfolio, Robert Plaga will return to his office at the education ministry, and Adam Vojtěch will return to his post at the health ministry, which he headed during the Covid pandemic. The ANO line-up will also include former defense minister Lubomír Metnar, who is now expected to lead the interior ministry, while Aleš Juchelka will oversee the ministry of labour and social affairs. The justice portfolio will go to Jeroným Tejc, former deputy justice minister and former member of the Social Democrats.
The SPD which did well in the elections on a strong anti-EU, anti-migrant campaign, and which has had to tame its nationalist rhetoric to some extent to be part of the emerging coalition, has nominated experts to the government, rather than its own MPs.
Retired general Jaromír Zůna, is expected to lead the defense ministry; the agriculture ministry will be led by Martin Šebestyán, who previously headed the agriculture fund that paid out billions of crowns to the Babiš Agrofert holding and the transport ministry portfolio will go to Ivan Bednárik, former head of Czech Railways.
Of the three parties in government it is the Motorists’ nominees who have caused the biggest controversy. Filip Turek, honorary president of the Motorists, who has come under fire for controversial racist and homophobic posts on social media and who was photographed giving the Nazi salute aspired to head the ministry of foreign affairs, sparking a storm of controversy. When President Pavel indicated this was unacceptable, the Motorists made a last-minute swap, nominating Turek to the post of environment minister and proposing party chair Petr Macinka to the top diplomatic post instead. As a climate change denier, Macinka’s nomination to the post of environment minister had also come under fire.
The swap was seen as a “concession” by the party, made to smooth the way to the new government’s appointment. However President Pavel stood his ground on his earlier objections to Filip Turek, who he said was not acceptable for any government post in view of his past pronouncements and activities.
The nomination of Macinka was apparently accepted, as was that of musician Oto Klempíř to the post of culture minister and that of Boris Šťastný to the newly created post of minister for sport, prevention, and health.
Macinka has now asked for a meeting with the head of state to resolve the problematic nomination to the environment ministry portfolio.
Since the president is determined to stand his ground, the party needs to come up with another more suitable candidate. If it fails to do so, the portfolio would have to be overseen by someone else –either another minister or the prime minister himself, which has happened in similar circumstances in the past.
The president will begin meeting with the individual candidates starting this Friday and the consultations should be closed within two weeks.
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 Prague Castle, if all goes smoothly, the new government could be in place by mid-December.
