Czech President Milos Zeman urges election winners and runners-up to form a new stable government.
Czech entrepreneur Andrej Babis’ political party ANO 2011 should be given a chance to prove itself, after securing second place in the early general electionsCzech President Milos Zeman told the media on Oct. 27.
“I think this party must be given a chance,” Zeman said according to Czech news portal Ceske Noviny. “Let’s say a hundred days of tolerance, to translate [voters] dissatisfaction into concrete bills.”
ANO was set up by Babis in 2011 as a liberal party. Its policies center on fighting corruption and eradicating immunity for politicians and public officials. According to the media, ANO gained support easily from a population which is tired of nepotism and back door deals made by its politicians.
Babis, who made his fortune through the agricultural sector, is currently the Czech Republic’s second richest person. He also owns the MARFA media group which publishes the leading dailies Lidove noviny and Malada fronta.
ANO gained 18.65 percent of the vote in general elections held on Oct. 25-26. The Social Democrats (CSSD), widely believed to be in line for receiving enough votes to form a coalition with the Communists, only gained 26.46 percent of the vote. This gave the party 50 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Party members blame the poor result on party leader Bohuslav Sobotka who was subsequently ousted from a team set up to negotiate the creation of a new government.
A total of seven parties entered the Chamber of Deputies, with an election turnout of 59.5 percent.
Apart from the previously mentioned CSSD and ANO parties, the Communist (KSCM) party gained 14.91 percent giving it 33 Chamber seats, while conservative TOP09 received 11.99 percent with 26 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.
Arguably, the biggest loser was the former ruling party, the Civic Democrats (ODS), The Party saw its popularity plummet following Prime Minister Petr Necas’s June 2013 resignation. Necas, who rose to power after promising to deal with corruption within government ranks, stepped down following the arrest of his close aid and alleged lover Jana N., who stands accused of illegally hiring the military intelligence service to spy on Necas’ wife.
The ODS gained 7.72 percent of the vote, giving it 16 seats in Parliament, down from 20.22 percent received in the 2010 elections.
Most commentators agree that whatever the CSSD decides to do it will not be able to do it without forming some sort of alliance with Babis’ project ANO 2011.
Photo by Michal Krumphanzl. Courtesy of Polish news agency PAP/EPA
