Analysis

Czechs demand PM’s resignation

Several thousand protesters gathered in the Czech capital Prague on November 15 to demand that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš resign over suspected criminal corruption. Demonstrators carried Czech and EU flags as they chanted “resignation” and “shame” in Prague’s Wenceslas Square.

The pressure against him followed a media report in which Mr Babiš’s son said his father had wanted him to go into hiding to impede a criminal investigation into charges that the pair illegally took cash from a two million-euro EU subsidy a decade ago.

The opposition reacted by calling a parliamentary no confidence vote, likely take place on November 23. The center-left Social Democrats, a coalition partner of Mr Babiš’s ANO party in the minority government, have so far refused to confirm that they would back the prime minister.

“We are considering all options,” said party leader Jan Hamáček.

More than six months after failing in his first attempt and almost nine months on from parliamentary elections last year, Mr Babiš finally managed to form a government in July, thanks primarily to a deal ANO made with the country’s Communists, who support the minority coalition between ANO and the Social Democrats but do not have any seats in the cabinet.

Photo: Mark Baker

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