Czech populist billionaire Babiš sworn in as prime minister

PRAGUE (AP) – Populist billionaire Andrej Babiš was sworn in Tuesday as the Czech Republic’s new prime minister, following October’s parliamentary election, as the next government is expected to steer the country away from supporting Ukraine and reject European Union policies on issues like the environment.

Babiš, previously prime minister from 2017-2021, promised Czechs that he will fight for their interests “at home and anywhere in the world” and will do his utmost for the Czech Republic to become “the best place for life on earth.”

President Petr Pavel had asked him to form a government after his ANO, or YES, movement won big in the October ballot and agreed to form a majority coalition government with two small political groups, the Freedom and Direct Democracy anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves.

The parties have agreed to create a 16-member Cabinet, with ANO holding eight posts and the prime minister’s office. The Motorists would have four and the Freedom party three. Pavel will appoint the entire Cabinet on Monday, his office said.

The new partnership makes up 108 seats in the 200-seat lower house of parliament, relegating the four center-right parties of the pro-Western government led by previous Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the opposition.

The new coalition is set to follow Hungary and Slovakia and shift the Czech Republic away from supporting Ukraine in Russia’s nearly four-year war. Coalition members are also critical of the EU, rejecting policies particularly on environment and migration.

“An old ally has returned,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said of Babiš. Orbán is widely considered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest partner among EU leaders. “Welcome back on board Andrej!”

Babiš, 71, still faces fraud charges in a case involving EU subsidies, and the new parliament will have to lift his official immunity for a court to issue a verdict.

After he lost the 2021 parliamentary election, he was beaten by Pavel, a retired army general, in a vote for the largely ceremonial post of president.

Babiš was appointed as prime minister after he met a condition set by Pavel and publicly announced that he would get rid of his major businesses to avoid a conflict of interest that could arise from his private dealings and his political status.

Babiš owns around 200 companies under the Agrofert conglomerate. He said an independent trustee will be in charge of Agrofert in a trust fund, while it will be under control of an independent protector until he dies. His descendants will inherit it.

Babiš also owns a network of clinics and labs, while his close ally from ANO is a candidate for the hew health minister.