What the Czech media are writing about: Coalitions are taking shape, Prague is still waiting for a decision. A reshuffle over ministerial posts has begun in the government

On the third day after the municipal and Senate elections, municipal coalitions are still being formed across the country – the ANO movement is losing control in more cities, while in Prague the decision continues to be postponed and local STAN leader Petr Hlaváček promises clarity only next week. Meanwhile, a reshuffle over ministerial posts has begun in the government: according to Deník N, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is considering taking the Environment Ministry away from Motorists in exchange for Education, which would cost minister Robert Plaga his post. Quietly, the Chamber approved in its first reading an extraordinary tax on refineries, which in Czechia is apparently set to affect only two Orlen Unipetrol facilities. Since then, further pieces of the mosaic have emerged: the composition of the coalitions in Olomouc and Hradec Králové has become clearer, the possible return of former minister Brabec has appeared in the government reshuffle, a nationwide poll showed STAN gaining at ANO’s expense, and today the Chamber is voting again on the Civil Service Act.

Coalitions are taking shape across Czechia, while Prague is still waiting

The picture at city halls is varied on the third day after the elections, but the direction is clear – ANO is losing control in many cities. iROZHLAS reports that the winning movement does not have the necessary majority in Chrudim, and a grand coalition without it may emerge there iROZHLAS ↗. Deník writes that after twelve years ANO is ending its control of Děčín Deník ↗ and in Olomouc, according to iROZHLAS, the winning ANO is heading into opposition, while STAN is negotiating a five-party coalition and its candidate Zelenka should become mayor e15.cz ↗ iROZHLAS ↗. The situation is also becoming clearer in Hradec Králové, where according to iDNES.cz a three-party coalition headed by Mayor Springerová is emerging, with ODS also entering the picture iDNES.cz ↗.

The picture is not the same everywhere. In Ostrava, by contrast, ANO has retained a strong position – it reached an agreement with the Mayors, which according to ekonomickydenik.cz surprised ODS and has not pleased Mayors leader Vít Rakušan, although he acknowledges that a coalition without ANO was possible and that he did not want to interfere in local negotiations; he explicitly ruled out the same combination for Prague Ekonomický deník ↗.

Prague itself is the most visible unresolved case. Prague STAN leader Petr Hlaváček wants to present the shape of the coalition being negotiated next week; according to Lidovek.cz and iDNES.cz, three options are currently in play Lidovky.cz ↗ iDNES.cz ↗. The framing differs between newsrooms depending on whom they quote. Prague ODS chairwoman Alexandra Udženija told iROZHLAS that she prefers a two-party coalition of STAN and SPOLU (ODS and TOP 09), although it would have only a narrow majority of 34 votes in the 65-member assembly, adding that the party does not want to pursue an uncompromising policy iROZHLAS ↗. According to Novinky, Praha sobě leader Adam Scheinherr would instead prefer a coalition only with STAN and the Pirates, without ODS Novinky.cz ↗. Deník sums up that two pillars of the Prague coalition appear certain, with a third potentially joining them Deník ↗.

Government reshuffle: Babiš wants the Environment Ministry, while Motorists resist

While city halls are being assembled, a more sensitive reshuffle has begun in the government. According to Seznam Zprávy, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is considering swapping ministers, while Motorists chair Petr Macinka is standing in his way Seznam Zprávy ↗. Forum24 breaks down the details: Babiš wants to take the Environment Ministry away from Motorists, Macinka is resisting, and Minister Plaga’s departure is also on the table Forum24 ↗. According to information from Deník N, ANO would like to take over the Environment Ministry, headed by Motorist minister Igor Červený, and hand Education to Motorists in return – current minister Robert Plaga would thus leave, and Motorists MP Matěj Gregor could take his place. The main reason is said to be the prime minister’s dissatisfaction with the Environment Ministry’s functioning and the repeated controversies surrounding government commissioner for climate policy and the Green Deal Filip Turek. According to Aktuálně.cz, a specific replacement is also being considered – former minister Richard Brabec (ANO), who led the ministry from 2014 to 2021, could return to the Environment Ministry Aktuálně.cz ↗.

The reshuffle overlaps with the older dispute over inclusion in education, which has not moved towards agreement since the previous edition. Deník N writes that the dispute is coming to a head and that the prime minister has openly sided with Motorists against the proposal of his own minister Plaga, who wants to adjust funding for teaching assistants, while Motorists are pushing for more special classes Deník N ↗. According to the same source, Minister Plaga insists that the prime minister actually supports his proposal – this is therefore a dispute in which the prime minister’s statements and those of his own minister contradict each other, rather than merely differing in editorial framing. Motorists have meanwhile escalated the dispute further – according to Novinky.cz, they want disadvantaged children to be moved from mainstream schools back into special classes Novinky.cz ↗.

Poll: STAN overtakes ANO, and Motorists would also enter the Chamber

A fresh election poll cited by Novinky.cz shows that the STAN movement has strengthened significantly while ANO is weakening Novinky.cz ↗. iDNES.cz gives the figures: STAN would receive 17 percent, while Motoristé sobě would also narrowly make it into the Chamber iDNES.cz ↗.

The second Senate round is approaching, and parties are seeking a recount

Candidates from constituencies without an absolute majority in the first round advanced to the second round of the Senate elections, held on 16 and 17 October. At the same time, the municipal election results have not yet been definitively settled either – iROZHLAS writes that several parties are gathering material for judicial recounts, for example in Karviná and Prague 10, where as many as two seats may be at stake iROZHLAS ↗. In Olomouc, according to iDNES.cz, a vote-counting error probably cost the Pirates a seat in the Milujeme Olomouc coalition; the case will be reviewed by a court iDNES.cz ↗. Similarly, in Kladno the local Kladeňáci movement will file a complaint with the court over an extreme deviation in the result in one polling district – according to its leader Anna Gamanová, any additional seat would not affect the coalition’s composition but would be symbolically important iDNES.cz ↗. As of today, formal complaints about the election results may also be filed, Seznam Zprávy notes Seznam Zprávy ↗. The campaign for the second round is also getting under way – in Plzeň, according to Seznam Zprávy, ANO chose as its main opponent a candidate whom it claims “isn’t from Plzeň” Seznam Zprávy ↗.

Opposition challenges the Civil Service Act

Outside the election agenda, the dispute over the new Civil Service Act has escalated; President Petr Pavel vetoed it and the Chamber is voting on it again today, Wednesday, at an extraordinary session iDNES.cz ↗. Lidovky.cz writes that the opposition wants to turn to the Constitutional Court because of it Lidovky.cz ↗, while iDNES.cz specifies that the Pirates have announced a constitutional complaint iDNES.cz ↗. According to both newsrooms, the coalition has enough votes to override the presidential veto; the dispute concerns how far the government may use the law to influence personnel matters in the civil service.

State finances: refinery tax passes, while the budget and ČEZ continue

The week’s most significant development is in the Chamber. Novinky.cz writes that MPs supported an extraordinary tax on refineries in the first reading Novinky.cz ↗, while iROZHLAS adds that in Czechia it will affect only the facilities in Kralupy nad Vltavou and Litvínov, both owned by Orlen Unipetrol iROZHLAS ↗. According to e15.cz, Finance Minister Alena Schillerová defended the tax in the debate as a responsible step, even though the bill passed despite criticism e15.cz ↗. Critics, according to Ekonomický deník, warn that the measure will not make a single litre of diesel cheaper Ekonomický deník ↗ – the dispute is therefore over whether the tax is merely revenue for the state budget or also has a real effect on consumer prices.

With the budget itself, the figures differ depending on who is doing the counting. Novinky.cz writes that the Chamber Budget Committee, with coalition MPs’ votes, recommended approving a deficit of 386 billion korunas, 76 billion more than this year’s Novinky.cz ↗. Former Pirate chair Ivan Bartoš, according to Ekonomický deník, warns that the real deficit could reach as much as 455 billion thanks to four hidden items Ekonomický deník ↗ – the government and opposition are thus talking about the same budget with a difference of almost seventy billion.

The ČEZ case is also continuing. Deník N writes that a Luxembourg bailiff intervened in the company’s gas business by freezing its stakes in Czech Gas Networks and Czech Gas Networks Investments, through which ČEZ controls the GasNet gas network – the question remains what the decision will mean for domestic gas pipelines Deník N ↗. According to Deník N, Prime Minister Babiš confirmed that the freeze is connected with the long-running Diag Human case and that ČEZ will challenge the decision in a Luxembourg court Deník N ↗.

Under the radar

Coalition MPs from ANO, SPD and Motorists, on a proposal by Jindřich Rajchl (SPD/PRO), added to the Chamber’s agenda a call for President Petr Pavel to publish the costs of his private holiday in Morocco – according to Rajchl, there is suspicion that he did not pay for it entirely himself iDNES.cz ↗ Forum24 ↗. The Chamber is due to discuss the call as the final item on the agenda, and with around two hundred other items it is uncertain whether MPs will get to it; the presidential office says Pavel paid all the travel expenses himself. Further questions have been raised by the president’s appearance in a promotional video for petrochemical giant Orlen with racing driver Martin Prokop; according to the driver, his participation was spontaneous iDNES.cz ↗. For now, this is political pressure and suspicion, not proven wrongdoing. According to iROZHLAS, President Pavel’s first trip after returning from holiday will be to attend an event in politically shaken Germany iROZHLAS ↗.

According to iROZHLAS, the State Agricultural Intervention Fund replied to the European Commission and sent it documents concerning a possible conflict of interest involving Prime Minister Babiš – the fund’s spokeswoman Eva Češpiva says they submitted all relevant information iROZHLAS ↗. Here too, this is not a decision but an ongoing review by the Commission.

According to Lidovky.cz, the coalition has agreed that illegally crossing the Czech border should once again become a criminal offence – at least that is what SPD chair Tomio Okamura claims as he boasts about the proposal Lidovky.cz ↗. Since this is one politician’s claim about an agreement not confirmed by any other source, it should be treated as an announcement, not as a completed legislative change.

Limits of this view

We draw on headlines and article introductions from Czech newsrooms, not all the full texts, so some details remain only claims made by particular media outlets. Negotiations over municipal coalitions and judicial vote recounts have not yet been concluded – we report the situation at the time of collection, which may change in the coming days.

What hotinfo is watching

• Prague coalition: which of the three options Petr Hlaváček will present next week and whether ODS will ultimately join it.
• Ministerial reshuffle: whether Babiš can push through a swap of the Environment Ministry for Education and what this means for Plaga and Macinka.
• Second round of the Senate elections (16–17 October): which constituencies will decide the final shape of the upper chamber.
• Judicial vote recounts: how the filings from Olomouc, Karviná, Prague 10 and Kladno will turn out.
• Refinery tax: how the bill will pass through its further readings and how much it will actually bring into the budget.