PRAGUE (AP) — The new Czech coalition government led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis took office Monday with an agenda to steer the country away from its support for Ukraine and reject some key European Union policies.
President Peter Pavel was sworn in in his cabinet at Prague Castle, ending a pro-Western alliance under former Prime Minister Peter Fiala that turned the country into a staunch supporter of Ukraine and a haven for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
Babiš, who served as prime minister in two governments from 2017 to 2021, and his ANO (or YES) movement swept the country’s October elections and agreed to form a majority coalition government with two small political groups – the anti-immigrant Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the right-wing Motorists Alliance.
Both parties admire US President Donald Trump, who has assembled a 16-member cabinet. The ANO has eight positions and the Office of the Prime Minister. The Motorists Party has four and the Liberal Party has three.
Babis’ political return and his new alliance with two small-government newcomers are expected to significantly redefine the country’s foreign and domestic policies.
Babis will join Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, who have refused military aid to Ukraine and opposed EU sanctions on Russia.
Babis has rejected any financial aid to Ukraine and an EU loan guarantee for the country to fight the Russian invasion.
Babiš had already joined forces with his friend Orban last year to form a new coalition in the European Parliament, the European Patriots, representing far-right groups. Previously, he was a member of the liberal Renew group.
Babiš said the Czech government would abandon a Czech initiative that had purchased some 1.8 million much-needed artillery shells for Ukraine on markets outside the EU this year alone.
The Liberal Party believes that the Czechs have no future in the EU and NATO and wants to expel most of the country’s 380,000 Ukrainian refugees. The group does not consider Russia a threat and its members repeat its propaganda.
The Automobile Party, which is close to Eurosceptic former President Vaclav Klaus, has rejected the EU Green Deal and proposed reviving coal and ties with Slovakia, Hungary and Poland in an informal group called V4, whose activities have been stalled by differing views on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The Auto Party, whose leader Petr Macinka became foreign minister, accused the previous government of damaging relations with Slovakia and Hungary.
The new government has promised to propose a plan to lower electricity prices, roll back pension reforms and change the financing of public broadcaster, which critics say will bring broadcasters under government control.