Czech opposition parties form majority alliance, sign memorandum for new government

The Together coalition, comprised of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and TOP 09, and the alliance of the Pirates and Mayors and Independents (STAN), signed a memorandum on their intent to create a majority Czech government on Saturday.

They also asked President Miloš Zeman to entrust ODS leader Petr Fiala with talks on forming the next government.

The coalitions have pledged to only discuss the government between themselves, and will not enter negotiations with any other parties, Fiala said.

The two winning coalitions of the Czech general election will have a total of 108 seats in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies, enough to form a ruling majority. Their leaders met Saturday evening, and after an hour they presented their joint memorandum.

"The parties have declared the will to create a government together, and they will ask the president to entrust Fiala with the government-forming talks," SPOLU stated.

In the days to come, the two coalitions will discuss their future arrangement.

"When it comes to the next steps, we will first discuss the program issues. We will take a look at what we are ready to agree," Fiala said.

There will also be a discussion of the arrangement of the Chamber of Deputies.

"We are proceeding step by step. It is vital for us to have agreed on this memorandum. We have clearly shown the public that we are doing what we have promised to the public," Fiala said.

On Monday, Fiala will ask President Miloš Zeman for a meeting.

Zeman has previously said he would entrust Prime Minister Andrej Babiš with forming the next government.

"The president has the right to entrust the one he considers right with creating a government. But it is essential that in the Czech Republic, the government must rely on majority in the Chamber of Deputies," Fiala said.

Fiala said he presumed everyone would observe the constitution, constitutional habits and the voters' will.

"I presume we will arrive at the stage in which those who have majority and readiness to create the government will be able to do so," Fiala said.

Pirates leader Ivan Bartoš said it was a good thing that the opposition coalitions were standing by what they had promised before the election.

"The memorandum is the first step on the road of giving a future to the country and forming a democratic government," Bartoš said.

The leader of the Mayors and Independents (STAN), Vít Rakušan, congratulated Together on a great election performance.

It is vital that ANO was defeated not only by the sum of the opposition coalitions, but also by one of the coalitions themselves in the overall results, he added.

Together won the general election in front of ANO, and third place was taken by the alliance between the Pirates and Mayors and Independents (STAN). The anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) finished fourth. No other party gained enough votes to enter the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies.