Communists first as ANO begin talks ahead of coalition formation

ANO have begun holding talks with other parties with a view to forming a new coalition government. Czech Television reported that ANO’s negotiating team, headed by party chief Andrej Babiš, had held the first such negotiations with the leader of the Communists, Vojtěch Filip, and other representatives of the party. The Communist leader said he had not discussed forming a coalition with ANO as the two parties' outlooks were so far apart.

Leaders of the Mayors and Independents also spoke to ANO on Sunday, though they said the focus was solely on the composition of the Chamber of Deputies. The Social Democrats are reported to be meeting ANO on Sunday evening.

ANO scored almost 30 percent of the vote in the general elections. Speaking after their landslide victory, Mr. Babiš said he was surprised his party had done so well and said he hoped President Miloš Zeman would charge him with forming a government.

In an interview with iDnes.cz, Mr. Babiš said his party was closest to the Civic Democrats, the Mayors and Independents group and the Czech Pirate Party. He said some elements of the programme of Freedom and Direct Democracy were also acceptable to ANO.

However, the heads of many other parties have expressed reluctance to enter a coalition headed by Mr. Babiš in view of the fact that he is facing criminal charges of abusing EU subsidies.

For his part, the ANO chief said the biggest problem in running the Czech state was coalition forming. He said it was a pity that the country did not have a majority electoral system that would allow for the effective functioning of the state and the government.

Mr. Babiš said, however, that changing the current system of proportional representation would not be priority for his party in negotiations on forming a new cabinet.