Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis  speaks on the phone during a Parliament session in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Czech Republic's Parliament gathered for a confidence vote for a newly appointed government led by Babis.
Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks on the phone during a Parliament session in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Czech Republic's Parliament gathered for a confidence vote for a newly appointed government led by Babis. Petr David Josek AP Photo
Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks on the phone during a Parliament session in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Czech Republic's Parliament gathered for a confidence vote for a newly appointed government led by Babis. Petr David Josek AP Photo

New Czech minority government fails to win confidence vote

January 16, 2018 10:06 AM

The new Czech minority government led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis has failed to win a mandatory confidence vote in the lower house of Parliament and has to resign.

Tuesday's loss was expected because the government lacks a majority.

Babis' ANO (YES) centrist movement won October's parliamentary elections with 78 seats in the 200-seat house. His government was appointed in December.

But none of the eight other parties that holds parliamentary seats has agreed to create a coalition government with ANO because they consider Babis unsuitable to lead the government due to fraud charges he has been facing linked to EU subsidies.

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President Milos Zeman, Babis' ally, said he would ask him to form a government again.

Any new government still has to win a parliamentary confidence vote to rule.