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The likely new premier, Andrej Babiš, unveils his proposed ministers. There are some interesting names on the list.
Czechia’s populist figurehead Andrej Babiš on Wednesday unveiled a governing coalition of mavericks, from a motormouth racing driver to the former frontman of a funk-rock group.
Now the real horse trading begins.
The country’s president, Petr Pavel, ultimately appoints the prime minister and the Cabinet — and he is allowed to say no to the proposals from Babiš, who won the Czech election in October.
Pavel — who will begin individual consultations Friday with proposed ministers — previously noted that strong pro-NATO and pro-EU stances, along with safeguarding the country’s democratic institutions, will be key factors in his decision-making.
Babiš, despite legal troubles of his own, is still on track to be the next Czech PM after sealing his coalition deal with the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy and right-wing Motorists for Themselves parties.
After the big coalition reveal, POLITICO highlights some of the most controversial ministers set to make up Prague’s populist government.
Filip Turek — the racing driver probed by police
Filip Turek, the face of the Motorists party who has courted controversy ever since being elected as a member of the European Parliament last year, was selected to be Czechia’s new environment minister.
He’s faced allegations of sexual assault from an ex-girlfriend, which he calls “absurd,” and making racist, sexist, and homophobic comments on Facebook, which he denies.
Police are investigating both matters. A former racing driver, he has also made a name for himself as a keen collector of expensive cars and the founder and chairman of Czechia’s Jaguar Club.
Turek has voted against green legislation in the European Parliament as an MEP for the right-wing Patriots for Europe group, from tighter rules on genetically modified crops to restrictions on combustion-engine cars.
Turek also backed efforts to water down the EU’s incoming deforestation regulation (EUDR), arguing that he wants to ensure “that EU policies do not undermine industrial competitiveness through overly restrictive environmental measures.”
Babiš told reporters Wednesday at Prague Castle that Pavel “still has a problem with Mr. Turek,” who is considered to be the most polarizing ministerial nominee.
Petr Macinka — the climate change skeptic
Petr Macinka, leader of the Motorists party, has been selected as foreign minister. He made a bold symbolic entrance when meeting the president on Oct. 6 in a massive Ram 1500 pickup, signaling his opposition to the EU’s Green Deal and the 2035 combustion engine ban.
Last year, Macinka said that if his party makes it into the government “green blood will run,” and recently stated that “the idea that humans are the sole cause of climate change is funny.”
He wants to leave the Paris climate agreement and roll back protection for the Soutok protected landscape area, part of the so-called Moravian Amazon.
Macinka is a supporter of the transatlantic military alliance, admitting on the campaign trail that his only fear is “the stirring up of sentiments about leaving NATO, because NATO isn’t some organization that tries to educate us, it’s a defense pact that ensures collective security.”
In Ukraine, Macinka has tried to project a clear pro-Western, anti-Russian line — but Turek’s position on Ukraine continues to weaken the party’s credibility, as he recently told POLITICO that he wants to slash military aid to Kyiv and pursue a noninterventionist approach to avoid any escalation with Moscow.
Oto Klempíř — the rock star turned politician
Another incoming minister, Oto Klempíř, has drawn criticism from 500 Czech artists, who signed an open letter opposing any Motorists party candidate leading the culture ministry, fearing it could threaten artistic freedom and echo developments in neighboring Slovakia.
Bratislava’s culture ministry, under the populist government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, slashed funding for independent cultural institutions and transformed the country’s national broadcaster, RTVS, into a new entity under political control.
“The party Motorists for Themselves … offers a dismantling of what currently works within the cultural sector. It rejects a series of measures aimed at improving working conditions in culture and explicitly expresses distrust toward the grant system and independent expert committees — raising concerns about potential political control over artistic production,” the letter read.
Klempíř, an artist himself and former frontman of the well-known Czech funk-rock band J.A.R., was dismissed from the band in August after announcing his candidacy for the Motorists.
The potential minister urged his critics to wait and see how he performed in the culture role, in a social media post in mid-October.
Martin Šebestyán — the small farmers’ nightmare
Martin Šebestyán, an independent expert nominated by SPD, who is on deck to be Czechia’s next agriculture minister, has a history with Babiš’ company Agrofert, having overseen Common Agricultural Policy subsidy distributions as head of the State Agricultural Intervention Fund.
He is currently the head of the the Initiative of Agricultural and Food Enterprises, which brings together the largest agricultural concerns in the country (including Agrofert).
Smaller farmers are warning against Šebestyán’s nomination.
“It is difficult to imagine a greater denial of the legitimate interests of farmers than the active nomination of Martin Šebestyán to the role of representative of the ministry of agriculture,” said Jaroslav Šebek, the chairman of the Association of Private Farming, in a statement to POLITICO.
The biggest agriculture unions support him getting the post, however.
In 2021, the European Commission ruled that Babiš, prime minister at the time, had a conflict of interest as he continued to control Agrofert and its subsidies despite placing his assets in trusts. Although Czechia wasn’t required to repay the EU funds, the state absorbed the loss, and in August this year the agriculture ministry ordered Agrofert to return €200 million in subsidies.
Critics fear the recovery effort could stall with Šebestyán in the agriculture post. Šebestyán declined to comment to multiple Czech outlets that have written about him since the election.
Andrej Babiš — the man himself
Babiš remains mired in controversy, particularly over an ongoing €2 million EU subsidy fraud case.
He is suspected by Czech authorities of fiddling ownership documents so that his agriculture empire Agrofert qualifies to receive subsidies intended for medium-sized businesses. After his earlier acquittal was overturned by Prague’s High Court in June, he now awaits a new verdict from the district court.
Regardless of what the court decides, Babiš’ ownership of Agrofert remains a potential conflict of interest that could prevent the president appointing him as prime minister unless he can prove there’s no conflict.
He is also being investigated in France over allegations he used shell companies to buy property and a luxury château on the French Riviera in 2009, a revelation that came to light as part of the Pandora Papers exposé.
Babiš denies all the allegations.