On Wednesday 11 July the coalition government led by the Prime Minister Andrej Babiš obtained a vote of confidence from the Czech Parliament.

The vote concludes nine-months of negotiations since the election in October which ANO won a considerable landslide as the leading party almost doubling their number of seats in the lower house from 47 to 78.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will lead a minority coalition government consisting of his party ANO and Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). As the senior coalition partner, ANO and its nominated independent ministers will occupy key portfolios of government including the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Health, Minister of Defence, Minister of Industry and Trade and Minister of Regional Development.

Presenting his government’s programme before the Members of Parliament in the Chamber of Deputies prior to the vote of confidence, Babiš outlined the six main priorities of the new Czech cabinet as (1) the reform of the pension system, (2) the digital Czechia project, (3) the promotion of Czech interests in the EU and in the world, as well as (4) strategic investment programmes, (5) reform of the state and (6) enhancing security. He noted there was no alternative for EU membership for the Czech Republic.

Vláda Andreje Babiše získala důvěru Poslanecké sněmovny. pic.twitter.com/6pTxKqCYIq

— Úřad vlády ČR (@strakovka) July 11, 2018

Since December 2017, when Babiš was appointed Prime Minister, the ALDE family counts on eight Prime Ministers, making us the strongest political family in the European Council, together with the European People's Party (EPP).