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). The head of government was Andrej Babiš, leader of ANO.
The cabinet was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 12 July 2018 with a 105–91 vote. 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 the cabinet of Petr Fiala.
Background The general election in 2017 was won by ANO, led by Andrej Babiš, who received 78 seats out of 200, becoming the largest party. President Miloš Zeman appointed Babiš to form a government, 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. In early 2018, Babiš lost a confidence vote to form an ANO minority government, with all other parties voting against. In 2018, ČSSD decided to enter coalition talks with ANO. In April, the negotiations broke down. President Miloš Zeman subsequently gave Babiš a second chance to form a government. In May, ČSSD accepted talks with ANO, with KSČM also participating to determine the conditions for its support of an ANO-ČSSD government.
Government formation 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.
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. With KSČM support, the government controlled a majority of 108 seats. On 15 June 2018, following approval in a referendum of party members, 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. 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
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.Second minister resigns over allegations of plagiarism
On 24 July 2018, another minister, Lubomír Metnar (Independent for ANO) also came under suspicion of plagiarism in his diploma thesis.
Cabinet members +PortfolioMinisterPartyOfficeTookLeftPrime MinisterAndrej BabišANO6 June 201817 December 2021First Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of Interior Jan Hamáček ČSSD 27 June 2018 17 December 2021 Deputy Prime MinisterRichard BrabecANO27 June 2018since 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 Cabinet30 April 2019Alena SchillerováInd. for ANO30 April 201917 December 2021Karel HavlíčekInd. for ANO30 April 201917 December 2021 Minister of Foreign AffairsJan Hamáček (acting) ČSSD27 June 201815 October 2018Tomáš Petříček16 October 2018 12 April 2021Jan Hamáček (acting)12 April 202121 April 2021Jakub Kulhánek21 April 2021 17 December 2021Minister of FinanceAlena SchillerováInd. for ANO27 June 2018since 13 December 2017 within Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet17 December 2021 Minister of HealthAdam VojtěchInd. for ANO27 June 201821 September 2020Roman PrymulaInd. for ANO21 September 202029 October 2020Jan BlatnýInd. for ANO29 October 20207 April 2021Petr ArenbergerInd. for ANO7 April 202126 May 2021Adam VojtěchInd. for ANO26 May 202117 December 2021Minister of the EnvironmentRichard BrabecANO27 June 201817 December 2021 Minister of Labour and Social AffairsPetr KrčálČSSD27 June 201818 July 2018Zeman Accepts Krcal’s Resignation, Will Appoint Malacova Next WeekJana Maláčová30 July 2018Incoming labour minister to propose higher parental leave benefit17 December 2021 Minister of Industry and TradeMarta NovákováANO27 June 201830 April 2019Karel HavlíčekInd. for ANO30 April 201917 December 2021 Minister of JusticeTaťána MaláANO27 June 201810 July 2018Jan KněžínekInd. for ANO10 July 201830 April 2019Marie BenešováInd. for ANO30 April 201917 December 2021Minister of Education, Youth and SportRobert PlagaANO27 June 201817 December 2021Minister of DefenceLubomír MetnarInd. for ANO27 June 201817 December 2021Minister of TransportDan ŤokInd. for ANO27 June 2018since 4 December 2014 within Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet and Andrej Babiš' First Cabinet30 April 2019Vladimír KremlíkInd. for ANO30 April 201920 January 2020Karel HavlíčekInd. for ANO20 January 202017 December 2021Minister for Regional DevelopmentKlára DostálováInd. for ANO27 June 201817 December 2021Minister of AgricultureMiroslav TomanInd. for ČSSD27 June 201817 December 2021Minister of CultureAntonín StaněkČSSD27 June 201831 July 2019Lubomír ZaorálekČSSD27 August 201917 December 2021
Popular mandate Support for governing parties according to the popular vote. Member partyPopular votePercentageMPsMinistersLeaderANO1,500,11329.64%7810Andrej BabišČSSD368,3477.27%15 5Jan HamáčekGovernment1,868,46036.91%9315Andrej BabišKSČM393,1007.76%150Vojtěch FilipGovt. & support2,261,56044.67%10815Andrej BabišCzech Republic5,091,065100%200 –
Confidence motion Motion of confidenceAndrej Babiš (ANO) Ballot → 11 July 2018 Required majority → 99 out of 196 (simple) Abstentions Sources:
Notes
References