“We can count to 108, so we expect that we will go into the opposition,” said Faltynek, referring to the majority in the newly elected lower house. Two opposition electoral alliances have 108 votes in the 200-member parliamentary chamber and have expressed their will to form a government together. ANO has practically no chance of winning a majority, even if it will have the strongest parliamentary group.
Faltynek also promised that ANO would not block the transfer of power. “That would not be wise. We want a new government in place on a reasonable date,” he said.
Despite his defeat, Babis expects to receive the first contract to form a government. President Milos Zeman promised him that during their last conversation on Sunday, said the 67-year-old on Tuesday on the CT station. “And it’s up to me whether I accept the contract or not,” said the multi-billionaire. Zeman is considered a close ally of the incumbent populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis. A spokesman for the president, who is still in the hospital, recently emphasized that no decision had yet been made.
The state of health of President Milos Zeman, who was admitted to the Prague military hospital on Sunday, remains unclear. Neither the doctors nor the presidential office wanted to say anything more about it. It is also unclear how long the head of state will stay in the hospital and to what extent he is able to work.
The head of state has the power to appoint the new prime minister and later the entire government. Until then, the parties can negotiate with one another without the head of state having to play a role.
