PRAGUE - The coalition government of ANO, SPD and Motorists led by ANO chair Andrej Babiš won the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday evening. All 108 MPs of the ruling coalition present voted for the cabinet, while 91 legislators from the opposition parties ODS, STAN, Pirates, KDU-ČSL and TOP 09 voted against it. The vote of confidence was decided more than 100 days after the October elections to the lower house of Parliament.
The vote was preceded by several hours of debate in which the opposition was sharply criticised and the new government's programme priorities were defended. In his opening speech, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš emphasised that the cabinet wanted to stabilise public finances, kick-start economic growth and strengthen the social security of the population. He also identified energy security, support for domestic industry and changes in migration and security policy as key priorities.
The opposition, on the other hand, has warned of what it sees as a problematic composition of the government and a possible shift in the country's foreign policy orientation. The leaders of the opposition parties pointed in particular to the SPD's participation in the government and criticized programmatic points that they consider a threat to democratic principles or the Czech Republic's international commitments. There were also criticisms of the long post-election negotiations and the fact that the government is only gaining confidence with a significant time lag after the elections.
Coalition MPs, on the other hand, argued that the negotiations were difficult because of the different agendas of the individual entities, but that the result, in their view, is a functional majority capable of pushing through key reforms. SPD leader Tomio Okamura said his party would push for an emphasis on direct democracy, protection of national interests and changes in the social sphere in the government. Representatives of the Motorists then emphasised the themes of transport, support for motoring and opposition to further regulation by the European Union.
The vote of confidence in the cabinet ends a period of political uncertainty that has lasted since the October elections. The government can now get down to work and present key laws, including the draft state budget and planned changes to the tax system. Prime Minister Babiš said after the vote that he wants to seek dialogue with the opposition where possible, but he also stressed that the coalition has a clear mandate from voters to push forward its agenda.
Political analysts warn that the cabinet will face not only strong parliamentary opposition, but also pressure from the public and the President of the Republic in filling some key positions. They say the first weeks after winning confidence will show whether the coalition is able to maintain unity and effectively govern the country in a challenging economic and international environment.
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