Czech news in brief for November 26: Wednesday's top afternoon headlines

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled Tuesday that all EU countries, including Czechia, must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other member states. The case involved a Polish couple married in Germany in 2018 whose union was initially rejected by Polish authorities. The ECJ said that any refusal violates freedom of movement and the right to private and family life. Czech authorities must now recognize foreign same-sex marriages for residency, taxation, social benefits, and other legal protections. Read more in our article here.

Swedish retailer Arket will open its first Central European store Thursday, Nov. 27, in Prague's Příkopy. The H&M-owned brand offers Scandinavian minimalist clothing for the whole family and lifestyle goods, including treats like cinnamon rolls. CEO Pernilla Wohlfahrt said the expansion responds to strong online demand in Czechia and reflects the city’s “great atmosphere” and energy. The flagship is designed as a modern marketplace that combines shopping with a warm, optimistic in-store experience.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute warned Wednesday that ice will form tonight and Thursday morning across western Bohemia as temperatures drop below freezing. Snow is expected through the day across Czechia, with up to ten centimeters in northern regions and as much as 25 centimeters in the Jeseníky Mountains. Meteorologists said snowfall will weaken by evening, but icy surfaces will complicate transport nationwide on Thursday, especially where clouds clear and winds calm.

President Petr Pavel told ANO leader Andrej Babiš on Wednesday that he still opposes Motorist lawmaker Filip Turek’s nomination to the cabinet for legal reasons. Babiš plans to discuss the issue in the lower house with Motorists chairman Petr Macinka. The party proposed Turek for environment minister despite his past racist and homophobic posts, which he has apologized for. The decision will depend on Motorists negotiations and the ANO-SPD-Motorists coalition council.

An analysis by finance firm XTB citing Eurostat data reported Wednesday that Czechia had the EU’s lowest share of people at risk of poverty and the 12th-lowest share of residents who felt poor. In 2024, 14.2 percent of Czechs perceived themselves as poor, compared with the EU average of 17.4 percent. Analyst Pavel Peterka said Czechia’s low inequality, reflected in its consistently lowest Gini coefficient in the EU, keeps both subjective and objective poverty relatively limited.

Three establishments in Czechia are newly featured in a ranking of the globe's best restaurants. This year, two restaurants outside of Prague have made the list.