Analysis

Hundreds of thousands of Czechs demand PMs resignation

A quarter of a million people protested against the Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš in Prague on June 23, the biggest demonstration in the country since the fall of communism.

The protest was the latest in a series of anti-Babiš demonstrations which began in April. Protesters have been calling for Mr Babiš and the country’s justice minister, Marie Benešová, to resign.

The European Commission has called for Mr Babiš to be investigated for misuse of European Union funds to build a luxury resort worth two million euros. Protesters  fear that Mrs Benešová, a close ally of the prime minister, will slow down the investigation into Mr Babiš.

“The Czech Republic is not going to change government because of protests in the street,” Mr Babiš said earlier this month. He has denied the accusations of corruption and has said that they are the culmination of hysteria targeted against him, based on lies and disinformation.

Many protestors carried Czech and European Union flags along with signs, saying Resign, We’ve had enough, others had the names of cities and towns around the Czech Republic.