The second cabinet of Andrej Babiš was a centre-left to centre-right minority coalition government in the Czech Republic, consisting of ANO 2011, a populist political movement, and the centre-left Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). The coalition received external support from the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM).[1][2] The head of government was Andrej Babiš, leader of ANO.

Second Cabinet of Andrej Babiš

15th Cabinet of Czech Republic
Andrej Babiš, Prime Minister
Date formed27 June 2018
Date dissolved17 December 2021
People and organisations
Head of stateMiloš Zeman
Head of governmentAndrej Babiš
Deputy head of governmentJan Hamáček
Richard Brabec (2017–2019)
No. of ministers15
Ministers removed2
Total no. of members17
Member partiesANO (10 ministers)
ČSSD (5 ministers)
Status in legislatureMinority coalition:
92 / 200
Opposition partiesOpposition:
108 / 200
History
Election2017 Czech legislative election
PredecessorAndrej Babiš' First Cabinet
SuccessorCabinet of Petr Fiala

The cabinet was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 12 July 2018 with a 105–91 vote.[3] The Communist Party withdrew its support for the government on 13 April 2021. The government left office on 17 December 2021, and was replaced by Petr Fiala's Cabinet.

Background

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The general election in 2017 was won by ANO, led by Andrej Babiš, who received 78 seats out of 200, becoming the largest party.[4] President Miloš Zeman appointed Babiš to form a government,[5] but all other parliamentary parties had ruled out entering a coalition with ANO due to an ongoing police investigation into Babiš's alleged subsidy fraud.[6][7] In early 2018, Babiš lost a confidence vote to form an ANO minority government, with all other parties voting against.[7] In 2018, ČSSD decided to enter coalition talks with ANO.[8] In April, the negotiations broke down.[9] President Miloš Zeman subsequently gave Babiš a second chance to form a government.[10] In May, ČSSD accepted talks with ANO, with KSČM also participating to determine the conditions for its support of an ANO-ČSSD government.[11][12][13]

Government formation

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The cabinet consisted of two coalition parties. ANO, the senior coalition partner in the government, had 10 ministers (including Prime Minister). The Social Democrats had four ministers and held five ministries, as President Zeman refused to appoint Miroslav Poche, the party's nominee for Foreign Minister, and Jan Hamáček was appointed as acting Foreign Minister.[14]

The coalition held 93 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, eight seats short of a simple majority of 101, and therefore required the support of another party to provide confidence and supply. KSČM agreed to support the minority government in exchange for cabinet support for several of their demands.[15] With KSČM support, the government controlled a majority of 108 seats. On 15 June 2018, following approval in a referendum of party members,[16] ČSSD formed a coalition with ANO.

The cabinet was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in the early morning of 12 July 2018 with a 105-91 vote, during a parliamentary session which had begun the previous morning.[3] During the debate, deputies from TOP 09 left the Chamber in protest (they later returned to vote against the government), while some deputies from the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party unfurled a Soviet flag to protest against the government being supported by the Communist Party. Street protests also took place in Prague against the role of the Communists in the government.

Resignations over plagiarism

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Shortly after the formation of the cabinet, two ministers (Taťána Malá of ANO and Petr Krčál of ČSSD) resigned after being accused of plagiarism in their bachelor theses.[17]

On 24 July 2018, another minister, Lubomír Metnar (Independent for ANO) also came under suspicion of plagiarism in his diploma thesis.[18]

Cabinet members

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Portfolio Minister Party Office
Took Left
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš ANO 6 June 2018 17 December 2021
First Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Interior
Jan Hamáček ČSSD 27 June 2018 17 December 2021
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Brabec ANO 27 June 2018[note 1] 30 April 2019
Alena Schillerová Ind. for ANO 30 April 2019 17 December 2021
Karel Havlíček Ind. for ANO 30 April 2019 17 December 2021
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Hamáček (acting) ČSSD 27 June 2018 15 October 2018
Tomáš Petříček 16 October 2018 12 April 2021[19]
Jan Hamáček (acting) 12 April 2021 21 April 2021
Jakub Kulhánek 21 April 2021[20] 17 December 2021
Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová Ind. for ANO 27 June 2018[note 2] 17 December 2021
Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch Ind. for ANO 27 June 2018[note 2] 21 September 2020
Roman Prymula Ind. for ANO 21 September 2020[21] 29 October 2020
Jan Blatný Ind. for ANO 29 October 2020[22] 7 April 2021
Petr Arenberger Ind. for ANO 7 April 2021[23] 26 May 2021[24]
Adam Vojtěch Ind. for ANO 26 May 2021[25] 17 December 2021
Minister of the Environment Richard Brabec ANO 27 June 2018[note 1] 17 December 2021
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Petr Krčál ČSSD 27 June 2018 18 July 2018[26]
Jana Maláčová 30 July 2018[27] 17 December 2021
Minister of Industry and Trade Marta Nováková ANO 27 June 2018 30 April 2019
Karel Havlíček Ind. for ANO 30 April 2019[28] 17 December 2021
Minister of Justice Taťána Malá ANO 27 June 2018 10 July 2018[29]
Jan Kněžínek Ind. for ANO 10 July 2018[30] 30 April 2019[31]
Marie Benešová Ind. for ANO 30 April 2019[31] 17 December 2021
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Robert Plaga ANO 27 June 2018[note 2] 17 December 2021
Minister of Defence Lubomír Metnar Ind. for ANO 27 June 2018 17 December 2021
Minister of Transport Dan Ťok Ind. for ANO 27 June 2018[note 3] 30 April 2019[note 2]
Vladimír Kremlík Ind. for ANO 30 April 2019[note 2] 20 January 2020
Karel Havlíček Ind. for ANO 20 January 2020[32] 17 December 2021
Minister for Regional Development Klára Dostálová Ind. for ANO 27 June 2018[note 2] 17 December 2021
Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Toman Ind. for ČSSD 27 June 2018 17 December 2021
Minister of Culture Antonín Staněk ČSSD 27 June 2018 31 July 2019
Lubomír Zaorálek ČSSD 27 August 2019[33] 17 December 2021
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Support for governing parties according to the popular vote.

Member party Popular vote Percentage MPs Ministers Leader
ANO 1,500,113 29.64% 78 10 Andrej Babiš
ČSSD 368,347 7.27% 15 5 Jan Hamáček
Government 1,868,460 36.91% 93 15 Andrej Babiš
KSČM 393,100 7.76% 15 0 Vojtěch Filip
Govt. & support 2,261,560 44.67% 108 15 Andrej Babiš
Czech Republic 5,091,065 100% 200

Confidence motion

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Motion of confidence
Andrej Babiš (ANO)
Ballot → 11 July 2018
Required majority → 99 out of 196 (simple)  Y
Yes
105 / 200
No
91 / 200
Abstentions
0 / 200
Absentees
4 / 200
Sources:[34]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b since 29 January 2014 as Minister of the Environment within Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet and Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet, since 24 May 2017 as Deputy PM within Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet and Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet
  2. ^ a b c d e f since 13 December 2017 within Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet
  3. ^ since 4 December 2014 within Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet and Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet

References

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  1. ^ "ČSSD v referendu schválila vládu s ANO. Babiš však ještě nemá vyhráno". iDNES.cz. 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  2. ^ "Babiš je podruhé premiérem. Hájil, že vláda bude opřená o komunisty". iDNES.cz. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. ^ a b "Czech government wins confidence vote backed by Communists". Arab News. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Billionaire candidate wins Czech election". BBC News. 22 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Police charge Czech PM candidate Babis with subsidy fraud". Reuters. 9 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Czech Babis gains possible support in bid for minority government". Reuters. 30 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b Muller, Robert (15 January 2018). "Czech PM Babis battles fraud charges as cabinet loses confidence vote". Reuters.
  8. ^ "Czech PM will talk exclusively to social democrats on new government". Reuters. 15 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Czech coalition talks break down". msn.com. Archived from the original on 2018-06-16. Retrieved 2018-09-03.
  10. ^ "Czech president gives Andrej Babis 2nd chance to form gov't".
  11. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Czech PM Babis wants deal on ministries this week in renewed govt..." Reuters. 15 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Czech centre left part agrees to join government". usnews.com. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  14. ^ "Prezident jmenoval vládu bez Pocheho. Půjde ji osobně podpořit před poslance". iDNES.cz. 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
  15. ^ "Opposition move could end Czech wait for government". Financial Times. 12 June 2018.
  16. ^ "VNITROSTRANICKÉ REFERENDUM O VSTUPU DO VLÁDY" (PDF). ČSSD. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  17. ^ Second minister resigns over allegations of plagiarism
  18. ^ "Ministr obrany Metnar má problém s diplomovou prací, řádně necitoval". iDNES.cz. July 24, 2018.
  19. ^ "Zeman odvolal Petříčka, Hamáček chce jednat s Rusy o Sputniku. A Zaorálek váhá s přesunem". CNC. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  20. ^ "Prezident Zeman jmenoval Kulhánka ministrem zahraničí. Rusko vynechal". PRÁVO. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Adama Vojtěcha nahradí v čele ministerstva zdravotnictví Prymula. K nelibosti opozice". E15. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  22. ^ "Zeman jmenoval Blatného. Strach nás paralyzuje, řekl nový šéf zdravotnictví". E15. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Nový ministr zdravotnictví Arenberger je zkušeným kožním lékařem, rok a půl vedl fakultní nemocnici". Česká Televize. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Končí ministr, kterému zlomili vaz kostlivci v podobě majetku". PRÁVO. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Vrací se ministr, který nedokázal vzdorovat. Velvyslancem se stane příští rok". seznamzpravy.cz. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  26. ^ Zeman Accepts Krcal’s Resignation, Will Appoint Malacova Next Week
  27. ^ Incoming labour minister to propose higher parental leave benefit
  28. ^ "Nastupující ministr průmyslu Havlíček: Mé pracovní tempo je vražedné, za workoholismus se nestydím". iRozhlas.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  29. ^ "Ministryně spravedlnosti Malá odstoupí z funkce, obvinění ale považuje za kampaň". ČT24 (in Czech). Česká Televize. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  30. ^ "News site: Jan Kněžínek to become justice minister". Czech Radio. Retrieved 2018-07-10.[permanent dead link]
  31. ^ a b "Doprava, spravedlnost a průmysl mají nové ministry, vláda nové vicepremiéry". ČT24 (in Czech). Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  32. ^ "Superministr Havlíček přebral dopravu. Kremlík náměstkem nebude, řekl Babiš". SeznamZpravy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  33. ^ "Kultura má opět ministra, prezident jmenoval Lubomíra Zaorálka". ČT24 (in Czech). Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  34. ^ "Hlasování Poslanecké sněmovny - 17/7". www.psp.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2018-07-12.