Babis denies any wrongdoing, calling the charges politically motivated.After meeting President Milos Zeman, Babis said he was "very sorry" the other parties had not given ANO a chance in coalition talks. "We will try to form a minority government and will try to convince lawmakers ... of other parties with our program," he told a news conference alongside Zeman.Zeman said he would give Babis a second attempt if his first try fails a confidence vote in the lower house.Forming a minority government would require support from other parties as ANO's 78 seats do not make up a majority in the 200-member lower chamber.Only the Communists have said they could tolerate a minority government.OBSTACLESBabis can be appointed prime minister only after Nov. 20, when the newly elected lower chamber of parliament opens its session. It has to elect a speaker before current Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka can vacate the position for his successor.This process could take long as some parties may try to prevent Babis' appointment by blocking the speaker's election.In 2013, Zeman rejected a majority coalition in parliament after a centre-right cabinet had collapsed, and appointed Jiri Rusnok, the current Governor of the Czech National Bank, as prime minister. His government ruled for half a year without winning a confidence vote.Babis dismissed a suggestion by the head of the conservative TOP 09 party to block the speaker as "destructive and reckless". The outgoing centre-left coalition, led by the Social Democrats and including ANO, is the first in 15 years to finish its four-year term.

Source: Egypt Today October 31, 2017 16:30 UTC