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Summary for: Czech news in brief for November 5: Wednesday's top afternoon headlines
MPs clash over Okamura’s speaker nomination
politics PM warns against electing Okamura, citing risks to parliamentary integrity
Czech MPs are electing new parliamentary leaders, with SPD head Tomio Okamura and KDU-ČSL’s Jan Bartošek vying for the speaker’s seat. Okamura’s candidacy sparked fierce debate: critics cite his extremist views and criminal prosecution, while supporters defend his “patriotism.” The new ANO–SPD–Motorists coalition, holding 108 seats, is expected to secure control. Prime Minister Fiala and outgoing ministers oppose Okamura’s bid, calling it a threat to democratic values.
environment Coal mining to end in Czechia after 250 years
Hard coal mining in Czechia will officially end on Jan. 31, 2026, with the closure of the ČSM Mine in Stonava, the country’s last active site. Around 900 employees will lose their jobs, receiving over CZK 500 million in severance. OKD, the state-owned operator, said continuing operations is no longer viable. The move ends nearly 250 years of hard coal mining in the Czech Republic.
legal Audit finds Zeman’s Castle office misused public funds
The National Audit Office found that former President Miloš Zeman’s Castle office acted uneconomically and broke budgetary rules between 2019 and 2021. Auditors uncovered accounting errors, contract splitting, and misuse of state funds, including payments for Zeman’s private lawsuit. The Lány Forest Administration also violated procurement laws and accepted illegal cash payments. The findings follow prosecutors’ decision to drop cases involving Zeman’s former chancellor, Vratislav Mynář.
economy Inflation in Czechia rises, driven by food and alcohol
The Czech Statistical Office’s preliminary estimate shows annual inflation rising to 2.5 percent, driven mainly by food, alcohol, and tobacco prices. Energy costs continued to fall. Analysts had expected stagnation, and final data will be released on Nov. 11. Inflation reached its peak this year in June, when consumer prices rose by 2.9 percent year-on-year.
crime Czechia sees more murders compared to 2024, but less crime
Czech police investigated 102 murders in the first nine months of 2025, five more than last year, despite a slight overall drop in crime. Most killings were linked to personal conflicts, with South Moravia reporting the highest number of cases. Police have solved more than 80 percent of murders so far, according to Interior Ministry data released this week.
📊 POLL OF THE DAY
Tomio Okamura, far-right leader of the incoming government coalition's Freedom and Direct Democracy party, is set to become the Czech parliament's speaker (voting is still in progress).
