Petr Fiala, leader of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), is the new premier of the Czech Republic.

President Milos Zeman appointed him in a ceremony that took place in the presidential residence of Lany, near Prague, "in strict compliance with health measures".

Zeman, who suffers from liver disease, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday immediately after being discharged from the hospital. To avoid any contact, the Czech president, who arrived in a wheelchair, was separated from Fiala by a plexiglass box.

Fiala, 57-year-old political scientist and professor, succeeds Andrej Babis. After the legislative elections held at the beginning of October, the Spolu center-right coalitions led by Petr Fiala (and formed by the Ods, Top 09 and Kdu-Csl parties) and the alliance of the Pirate Party and the movement of Mayors and independents obtained the majority of 108 seats in the Chamber of Deputies with 200 seats in all.

The new government is expected to have 18 ministers from the five parties who signed the coalition agreement in November. The appointment of the entire cabinet will most likely postpone due to the isolation of President Zeman. Until then, the outgoing premier Babis will continue to be at the head of his minority government formed by the Ano movement (Action of the Discontented Citizen) and the Social Democrats (Cssd).

(Unioneonline / D)

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