Czech Republic president swears in new coalition government

PRAGUE (AP) — A new coalition government took office in the Czech Republic on Friday, with the coronavirus pandemic and soaring inflation presenting immediate policy challenges.

President Milos Zeman swore in the Cabinet at the presidential chateaux in Lany, west of Prague, ending the government of his ally, populist billionaire Andrej Babis, as prime minister.

Two political coalitions that together collected a majority of parliament seats in the country's Oct. 8-9 election signed a power-sharing deal to rule together.

The new partnership holds 108 seats in the 200-seat lower house, relegating Babis and his centrist ANO (YES) movement to the opposition. ANO narrowly lost the election with 27.1% of the vote.

A three-party, liberal-conservative coalition known as Together, composed of the Civic Democratic Party, the Christian Democrats and the TOP 09 party, came in first with 27.8% of the vote.

Together has formed a government with a center-left liberal coalition made up of the Pirate Party and STAN — a group of mayors and independent candidates — which placed third.

Despite their differences on many issues, including climate change, same-sex marriage and the adoption of the euro, the coalition parties all support the Czech Republic's membership in the European Union and NATO membership.

The five-party coalition is led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who was sworn in on Nov 28.

Fiala, 57, who has led the conservative Civic Democratic Party since 2014, is a political science professor. He served as education minister between 2012-13.

“We don't start at an easy situation,” Fiala said. “Our country and its citizens face huge problems."

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