Social Democrat Štěch for pulling out of coalition deal with ANO over Poche

Senior Social Democrat Milan Štěch says the party should pull out of a deal with ANO to form a coalition if it is broken before it can even come into effect. The speaker of the Senate was responding to ANO leader Andrej Babiš’s refusal of the Social Democrats’ nominee for the post of foreign minister, Miroslav Poche.

Mr. Babiš said ANO would not accept Mr. Poche just after the membership of the Social Democrats voted in an internal ballot to enter a minority coalition with ANO.

Such a government would be backed by the Communists, who also reject Mr. Poche as foreign minister. President Miloš Zeman is likewise opposed to the MEP’s nomination.

The chairman of the Social Democrats, Jan Hamáček, says Mr. Babiš had been aware that Mr. Poche was their candidate. Mr. Hamáček says his party have done all they can to reach a coalition deal and have no room to make further concessions.

Author: Ian Willoughby