Milos Zeman hospitalized, Czech Republic plunges into uncertainty

The President, who plays a key role in the designation of the Prime Minister, would be a victim of a “liver problem”. His ally, billionaire and populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis, suffered a surprise defeat to the legislative elections.

by

The political destiny of the next few years of the Czech Republic is currently playing at the Prague Military Central Hospital. Sunday, October 10, President, Milos Zeman, was taken to emergency, semi-conscious. This hospitalization occurs at a crucial moment for the country, in the aftermath of legislative elections that have seen the short defeat of his ally, the Prime Minister Billionaire and populist Andrej Babis, and at the end of which he is supposed to appoint a Prime Minister.

At 77 years old, this president good and provocative, Eurosceptic, Prorusse and Prychinois, which alternates stays in the hospital, has not appeared in public for weeks. His old comrade from the “velvet revolution”, then become true-false political competitor, former Czech President (2003-2013) Vaclav Klaus, mentioned “a liver problem”. The doctors keep, the silence, but the entourage of Mr. Zeman continues to minimize the severity of the situation, and especially ensures that he is still able to keep his post. “During his stay in the hospital, Mr. President informs,” ​​said his spokesperson, Jiri Ovcacek. “His current hospital does not threaten the post-election negotiations and the constitutional situation,” he promised. Normally, the role of president is secondary in Czech institutions.

But the current context is particular: to the general surprise, the elections were lost by the outgoing Prime Minister Andrej Babis, 67 years. The billionaire, the magnat of agribusiness, petrochemicals and the media, has arrived only in second position of the voting organized Friday 8 and Saturday 9 October. After campaigning against “Brussels” with the help of his “friend” the Hungarian Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, his populist and ano antisystem (for “action of disgruntled citizens”) did only obtain 27.1% of votes, behind the right coalition together, who got 27.8% of the votes.

Campaign disturbed by the “Pandora Papers”

On Saturday night, the overall leader, Petr Fiala, claimed the opposition victory, signing a memorandum with the centrist coalition gathering the pirate party and the training mayors and independent, arrival third with 15.6 % voices. With their 108 seats on the 200 of Parliament, the five parties defend their willingness to “form a government” and ask “to the President of the Republic to entrust Peter Fiala his training”. “Together, our country will no longer be in debt and will be part of democratic Europe,” said 57-year-old Politicians Professor in front of his supporters.

You have 66.78% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.

/Media reports.