Czech President Milos Zeman appointed the second government of populist billionaire Andrej Babis (Ano) and junior partner the Social Democrats (CSSD) on June 27.

The CSSD have five portfolios in the new cabinet: labour and social affairs, culture, agriculture, interior ministry and foreign affairs, but their preferred candidate for that post, Miroslav Poche, was not named; party leader Jan Hamacek will for the moment be both interior minister and caretaker foreign minister.

In doing so, Hamacek yielded to pressure from Babis, Zeman and the Communists (KSCM) not to insist on Poche as foreign minister. He now says that forming a coalition government was the priority. Some say Hamacek appears weaker for acquiescing although he says negotiations have not ended.

Zeman said that Poche could be under-secretary, but he won’t appoint Poche as foreign minister, a move which analysts consider unconstitutional. 

When Babis was asked on June 27 whether he had given up and didn’t offer Poche as a candidate, as speculated, or if Zeman didn’t appoint Poche despite the nomination, the new-old prime minister and Ano leader said: “I don’t have the need to comment on this. We have a new government, so look forward to it. The future is what matters.”

The government should be tolerated by the Communists, but the final decision of KSCM will be made at the weekend.

The opposition and part of the society criticised the date of appointment, because Czechia remembers the Day of Victims of the Communist regime on June 27, especially a show trial of Milada Horakova, who was executed on fabricated charges of conspiracy and treason.

“I am deeply sorry it is this day. We have to condemn what happened, but I don’t see any connection to it,” Babis said.

“It is huge spit to the face of victims of the communist regime,” said an influential member of right-wing, conservative Civic Democrats (ODS) Alexandra Udzenija. The Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) said that new government has minimal respect for the law and it is a danger for democracy.

The opposition also continues with the criticism of Babis’ nomination for the role of justice minister, Tatana Mala (Ano).

When the parliament discussed whether it should remove Babis' immunity to allow his prosecution over an alleged fraud involving EU funds, Mala said that the courts should wait.

“Where is the problem if the affair is dealt with after four years, or we wait till the next elections?” Mala said. The media and opposition both have criticised her for the remarks, saying there should be equality before the law The right-wing parties TOP09 and ODS repeated this criticism on June 22.

The new government is due to ask for a confidence vote on July 11. Zeman said that he will be present in the Chamber of Deputies to support it.

For Babis, this will be the second attempt to form a viable government. His previous minority one-party cabinet failed to win confidence by a vote of 117 to 78 votes on January 16, with only his own Ano party supporting him.