Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš survives no-confidence vote

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has survived a second vote of no confidence in the lower house of Parliament. The motion to dismiss the government failed as only 83 deputies voted in favor, falling short of the 101 votes required in the 200-seat chamber. The ruling coalition, comprising ANO, SPD, and Motorists, successfully defended the cabinet with 94 votes against the motion.

The opposition, including parties such as ODS, STAN, Pirates, TOP 09, and KDU-ČSL, centered their challenge on two primary issues: the Prime Minister’s alleged conflict of interest and the proposed 2027 budget. The draft budget includes a projected deficit of 386 billion Czech koruna (approximately 15.8 billion euros), which would be the second-largest deficit in the country’s history. While the opposition criticized these planned expenditures as excessive, the government argued the funds are essential for healthcare, pensions, public sector wages, and investments.

Additionally, the debate highlighted ongoing scrutiny from the European Commission regarding Babiš’s business interests. Although the Prime Minister transferred approximately 200 companies from his Agrofert conglomerate to an independent trust to mitigate conflict-of-interest risks, the European Commission previously suspended 3.18 million euros in subsidies, citing concerns that the risk remains. The Pirate Party leader, Zdeněk Hřib, emphasized the need for accountability amid record national debt.