Populist billionaire Andrej Babiš was sworn in on Tuesday as the Czech Republic’s new prime minister, marking a political shift expected to move the country away from supporting Ukraine and oppose key European Union policies, particularly on the environment.
Babiš, who previously served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, said he would defend Czech interests “at home and anywhere in the world” and work to make the country “the best place for life on earth.”
President Petr Pavel tasked him with forming a government after his ANO (YES) movement won big in the October election and secured a majority coalition with the anti-migrant Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves group.
The coalition partners have agreed on a 16-member Cabinet: ANO will control eight ministries along with the prime minister’s office, the Motorists will take four, and the Freedom party three. Pavel will appoint the full Cabinet on Monday, his office confirmed.
Together, the three parties command 108 seats in the 200-seat lower house, pushing the previous pro-Western government of Petr Fiala into opposition.
The new coalition is expected to align more closely with Hungary and Slovakia by distancing Prague from Ukraine as Russia’s war nears its fourth year. Members of the alliance are also sharply critical of EU migration and environmental policies.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán welcomed Babiš’s return, calling him “an old ally” and saying, “Welcome back on board Andrej!”
Babiš, 71, still faces fraud charges tied to EU subsidies. Parliament will need to lift his immunity before a court can proceed.
After losing the 2021 parliamentary election, Babiš was defeated by Pavel — a retired general — in the presidential race. Pavel agreed to appoint him as prime minister only after Babiš publicly committed to divesting his major business assets to avoid conflicts of interest.
Babiš controls roughly 200 companies through the Agrofert conglomerate. He said an independent trustee will oversee Agrofert under a trust fund structure, with an independent protector supervising the group until his death, after which his descendants will inherit it.
He also owns a network of clinics and laboratories, and one of his close ANO allies is in line to become the new health minister.