100 days of Czechia’s government: What’s changed, what’s next, and how it affects you

The triumph of billionaire Andrej Babiš’ ANO movement in last October’s parliamentary elections led to months of negotiations with potential partners and, by mid-December, to the formal establishment of a government comprised of ANO, the far-right SPD party and the conservative Motorists for Themselves.

In their program statement, the new ruling parties declare: “It is necessary to restore citizens’ trust in the state, its institutions and its ability to ensure a fair, safe and prosperous environment for all”.

So how is it going?

According to some experts, not so well. “100 days into Babiš’ third government, [Czech] society seems more divided than ever,” assesses Jan Lipold, a political commentator for Seznam Zpravy.

The symbolic anniversary came days after about 250,000 people marched in Letná in one of the largest anti-government protests in recent decades to voice their discontent with the new leadership.

Those have indeed not been calm or idle months.

Top of the news cycle for weeks was the long-running dispute between President Petr Pavel and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, head of the Motorists, with threats and accusations of blackmail flying in one direction or the other.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing within the coalition either. The three parties have clear disagreements on a number of issues, and personal animosities run high, notwithstanding the notoriously micro-managing tendencies of Prime Minister Babiš.