PM Babiš wants to divide ministerial portfolios with Social Democrats by end of next week

The acting Prime Minister Andrej Babiš would like to reach an agreement with the Social Democratic Party on the division of ministerial portfolios in a prospective coalition government by the end of next week. The ANO leader made the announcement on Sunday after meeting with president Miloš Zeman at the Lány Chateau.

Mr Babiš said that president Zeman acknowledged the fact that the leadership of ANO had decided to renew the possibility of cooperation in a future minority government with the Social Democrats, adding that there was no reason to protract the talks.

Talks between ANO and the Social Democrats collapsed last week after ANO refused to give up either the Finance Ministry or Interior Ministry portfolio. President Miloš Zeman subsequently recommended Andrej Babiš approach the communist party and Tomio Okamura’s Freedom and Direct Democracy Party to create a government. However, some ANO members have said they could not stomach a deal involving the anti-European and anti-migrant party.

Author: Ruth Fraňková