Babiš was officially reinstalled in a ceremony at Prague castle on Wednesday, presided over by Milos Zeman, the populist Czech president, who appeared to be attempting to use the possibility of a coalition with a far-right grouping to force the Social Democrat party (?SSD) into agreeing a deal.
Babiš’s appointment, for the second time in six months, came a day after large crowds of demonstrators gathered in Prague and other Czech cities to protest against the prospect of a government led by him.
A billionaire businessman and Czech Republic’s second-richest man, Babiš has been unable to form a stable administration since his Action of Dissatisfied Citizens party (ANO) won last October’s parliamentary election because mainstream parties have been unwilling to serve under him on grounds that he faces criminal fraud allegations.
Despite reservations, the Social Democrats last month agreed to enter a coalition on condition that Babiš resign as prime minister if convicted of the charges, which relate to a €2 million EU subsidy.
