President Zeman in the hospital
Political uncertainty after the election in the Czech Republic
The Czech President Milos Zeman is cared for in the intensive care unit of the Central Military Hospital by a team of doctors made up of specialists from various disciplines. Photo: Ralf Hirschberger / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The President appoints the head of government and ministers in the Czech Republic. But incumbent Zeman is in the intensive care unit of a clinic. What will happen next after the parliamentary elections in the EU member state?
Given the unclear state of health of President Milos Zeman, the Czech Republic faces a period of political uncertainty after the parliamentary elections.
The 77-year-old was taken to the intensive care unit of a clinic on Sunday – one day after the election, in which the liberal-conservative opposition parties were able to win a joint majority of the seats in the House of Representatives.
According to his doctors, Zeman is in a stabilized state, as the spokeswoman for the Central Military Hospital (UVN) in Prague announced on Monday. He will continue to be cared for in the intensive care unit by a team of doctors made up of specialists from different disciplines.
The president plays a crucial role after the election because he is responsible for forming a government. The constitution does not formally make any regulations. Zeman is considered a close ally of the incumbent populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis. Some time ago he had described the opposition party alliances as “fraud against the voter”. And he announced that the government contract would be awarded to the strongest single party. That would be Babis’ ANO movement.
A spokesman for Zemans said his hospital stay would not jeopardize exploratory talks between the parties after the election. Most of all, the President needs rest now. In the parliamentary elections, the opposition secured a total of 108 seats under top candidate Petr Fiala. The ANO von Babis received 72 seats, the ultra-right freedom and direct democracy to 20 of the 200 seats in the House of Representatives.
Fiala was patient on Monday. “I’ll wait until the president’s health has improved, which is what I wish for him,” said the former university rector. Then he hoped to meet the head of state. According to legal experts, the chairman of the House of Representatives gives the government mandate if the president should be indisposed.
The head of state also convenes the first session of the newly elected House of Representatives. If the president is unable to do so, the parliamentary chamber is constituted by itself 30 days after the election. In the Czech Republic there is already open discussion about activating Article 66 of the Constitution. It enables the president to be removed from his position if he “cannot exercise his office for serious reasons”. This requires the approval of the House of Representatives and the Senate.