Czech president asks PM Babis again to try to form new cabinet
Milos Zeman
PRAGUE (Reuters)  - Czech President Milos Zeman  on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Andrej Babis for a second time to try to form a new government after a minority administration he set up in December lost a confidence vote in parliament last week.
 Zeman  accepted Babisâs resignation on Wednesday but then immediately asked  him  to form another government  giving  him  a political mandate to negotiate with other parties.
The two leaders have shelved past disputes to become political allies.  Zeman  had pledged to ask Babis to head another coalition  putting pressure on other parties to cooperate  while Babis and ANO endorsed  Zeman  in this weekendâs presidential election run-off.
 Zeman  said on Wednesday  he  would provide time for Babis to cobble together a majority in the 200-seat lower house of parliament  where ANO only holds 78 seats.
But  he  said that in case  he  lost this weekendâs election   he  would appoint Babis as prime minister again anyway before  his  term ends on March 7. âThere will be quite a short time for finding the necessary votes  so I will not insist on this condition â  Zeman  said at a joint news briefing with Babis.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks to media after tendering the resignation of his cabinet to  President Milos Zeman  at the Prague  Castle in Prague  Czech Republic  January 24  2018. REUTERS/David W Cerny
But betting agencies have begun leaning toward  Zeman  in the past days.
Babis said  he  hoped rival parties would be more open to compromise in  his  second attempt at forming a government.
Some parties indicated they were ready to talk  but only the anti-NATO Communist Party said it had no problem accepting Babis as prime minister given the investigation against  him .
[TGT] on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Andrej Babis for a second time to try to form a new government after a minority administration he set up in December lost a confidence vote in parliament last week.
  [TGT] accepted Babisâs resignation on Wednesday but then immediately asked   [TGT]   to form another government  giving   [TGT]   a political mandate to negotiate with other parties.
The two leaders have shelved past disputes to become political allies.   [TGT] had pledged to ask Babis to head another coalition  putting pressure on other parties to cooperate  while Babis and ANO endorsed   [TGT] in this weekendâs presidential election run-off.
  [TGT] said on Wednesday   [TGT]   would provide time for Babis to cobble together a majority in the 200-seat lower house of parliament  where ANO only holds 78 seats.
But   [TGT]   said that in case   [TGT]   lost this weekendâs election    [TGT]   would appoint Babis as prime minister again anyway before   [TGT]   term ends on March 7. âThere will be quite a short time for finding the necessary votes  so I will not insist on this condition â   [TGT] said at a joint news briefing with Babis.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks to media after tendering the resignation of his cabinet to  President Milos Zeman  at the Prague  Castle in Prague  Czech Republic  January 24  2018. REUTERS/David W Cerny
But betting agencies have begun leaning toward   [TGT] in the past days.
Babis said  he  hoped rival parties would be more open to compromise in  his  second attempt at forming a government.
Some parties indicated they were ready to talk  but only the anti-NATO Communist Party said it had no problem accepting Babis as prime minister given the investigation against  him .