Czech President: Zaman announces swift government formation

It was eagerly awaited in Prague: almost a month after the election, Czech President Zeman announced that he wanted to form a government as soon as possible. The order is expected to be passed on to the five-party coalition.

Czech President Milos Zeman wants to pave the way for the formation of a new government as soon as possible. Zeman said in a radio interview that he sees no problem in appointing the opposition politician Petr Fiala as prime minister.

The ailing Zaman spoke publicly for the first time since the parliamentary elections on 8 and 9 October. As head of state, he gives the mandate to form the government. On October 10, the 77-year-old was hospitalized and taken to the intensive care unit. His health had raised questions about the post-election process.

President’s role

Now Zaman said he is feeling well and wants to fulfill his mandate by 2023. Fiala of the Democratic Citizens Party (DOS) wants to lead a coalition of five different parties. The center-right coalition and the liberal formation Pirates/Mayors won 108 of the 200 seats in the lower house of parliament.

Babis rejected the mandate of the government

However, before the election, Zeman announced that the mandate of the government would go to the strongest individual party – again to the populist ANO of the previous prime minister, Lady Babis. But the latter had announced that he would decline a government contract.