Czech government survives motion of censure

Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s liberal-conservative government in the Czech Republic has survived a vote of no confidence. Only 85 MPs voted in favor of the motion on Thursday night. 101 votes would have been needed. This was preceded by an exchange of blows lasting more than 30 hours between the government and the opposition in the Chamber of Representatives in Prague, the more important of the two parliamentary chambers.

The ANO opposition party of former prime minister and billionaire Andrej Babis submitted the request after it emerged that Interior Minister Vit Rakusan privately owned an encrypted cell phone. The minister replied that he had a clear conscience. “A phone with an encryption app doesn’t make a person a mobster,” the 45-year-old wrote on Twitter (X).

The five-party coalition has been in power since December 2021. It is pursuing a broad savings and consolidation package under the slogan “Bringing the Czech Republic into shape”. Over the next two years, the budget is expected to be reduced by the equivalent of around six billion euros. To this end, expenses and subsidies must be reduced and taxes increased – including on alcohol, cigarettes, mineral water and real estate.