Talks on a coalition government break down

Talks between the ANO party and the Social Democrats on forming a minority coalition government supported by the Communists have failed.

The talks hit the rocks in the last phase of negotiations late on Thursday when the two sides met to agree on a division of ministerial portfolios.

The Social Democrats decided to end the talks after ANO refused to let them head the interior ministry –a demand that was to help the Social Democrats come to terms with ANO’s insistence on the cabinet being headed by Andrej Babiš who is charged with EU subsidy fraud.

Social Democrat leader Jan Hamáček said he would ask the party leadership to confirm the decision for the party to go into the opposition on Friday.

He said responsibility for the stability of the country was now in the hands of the ANO party.