The general election in 2017 was won by ANO, led by Andrej Babiš, who received 78 seats out of 200, becoming the largest party. President Miloš Zeman appointed Babiš to form a government with other parties, but all other parliamentary parties had ruled out forming a coalition government with ANO due to a police investigation into Babiš's alleged subsidy fraud. In early 2018, Babiš lost a confidence vote when other parties voted against an ANO-minority government. In 2018, ČSSD decided to hold coalition talks with ANO. In April, the negotiations broke down. President Miloš Zeman subsequently gave Babiš a second chance to form a government. In May, ČSSD accepted talks with ANO, with KSČM also participating in talks to determine the conditions for its support of an ANO-ČSSD government.
Government formation
The cabinet consists of two coalition parties. ANO, the senior coalition partner in the government, has 10 ministers. The Social Democrats have four ministers and hold five ministries, due to the refusal of Czech President Miloš Zeman to appoint Miroslav Poche, the party's nominee for Foreign Minister. Jan Hamáček was appointed as temporary Foreign Minister. The coalition holds 93 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, eight seats short of a simple majority of 101 seats. The coalition therefore requires the support of another party to provide confidence and supply. KSČM agreed to support the minority government in exchange for cabinet support for several of their demands. With KSČM support, the government controls a majority of 108 seats. On June 15, 2018, following a party referendum, ČSSD formed a coalition with ANO. The cabinet was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in the early morning of 12 July 2018 with a 105-91 vote, during a parliamentary session which had begun the previous morning. During the debate, deputies from TOP 09 left the Chamber in protest while some deputies from the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party unfurled a soviet flag to protest against the government being supported by the Communist Party. Protests also took place in the streets of Prague against the role of the Communists in the government.
Resignations over plagiarism
Shortly after the formation of the cabinet, two ministers – Taťána Malá of ANO and Petr Krčál of ČSSD – resigned after being accused of plagiarism in their bachelor theses. On July 24, 2018, another minister, Lubomír Metnar also came under suspicion of plagiarism in his diploma thesis.
Cabinet members
Popular mandate
Support for governing parties according to the popular vote.
