Czech Prime Minister Says He Will Refuse Presidential Offer To Form New Government

PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2021) Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis promised on Friday to refuse a potential offer from hospitalized President Milos Zeman to form a new government in the wake of the recent general election.

Prior to the parliamentary elections, Zeman, who was admitted to a hospital with an unspecified condition last Sunday, stipulated that he would entrust the formation of the cabinet to the leader of the winning party, but not to the representative of the opposition coalition, even if it gets more votes.

"If I receive an offer from the president to form a new government, I would reject it. I am ready to be the opposition," Babis said in an interview with Czech radio station Frekvence 1.

The Czech Republic voted for its next lower house on October 8-9, with the Together coalition of three Liberal parties emerging victorious with 27.79% of the vote, or 71 mandates in the 200-seat legislature. Babis' ANO centrist movement came second with 27.12% of the vote, or 72 seats.