On 6 November, Czech President Petr Pavel accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s government. Petr Fiala was the Prime Minister who, during challenging times, maintained a steady course, strengthened the Czech Republic’s position in Europe, and ensured the country’s energy and security independence. He demonstrated that politics can be decent, substantive, and focused on public service. This is particularly noteworthy, considering that when Andrej Babiš completed his term as Prime Minister in 2021, the country was in chaos, grappling with high levels of corruption.
President Pavel noted that “although the government failed to achieve all the set goals, I consider it important to mention that the cabinet took over the government in a challenging time and is leaving it with good results”.
The President stated that when Petr Fiala became Prime Minister in November 2021, he faced challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the Czech economy, the significant public deficit, and the subsequent aggression by Russia against Ukraine, which led to an energy and migration crisis.
“However,” the President noted, “economic data show that the Czech Republic is performing very well—whether in terms of economic growth, the unemployment rate, or the deficit relative to GDP. I am therefore convinced that Petr Fiala’s government handled these challenges responsibly, and the incoming government has a solid foundation to build on. Thank you for the cooperation and, above all, for the bold foreign and security policy.”
The President of the Czech Republic’s remarks during the resignation ceremony reflect the views of the vast majority of European leaders. We should consider the President’s remarks as a gloomy period is coming for the Czech Republic under the new government of Babiš and its associates, a bunch of right-wing extremists, including neo-Nazis and fascists, all of them committed to demolishing the EU and aligning with Russia’s positions and interests.
A European orientation
2025 was a pivotal year for the Czech Republic’s future. General elections were scheduled for early October. Moreover, a vast disinformation campaign, mainly through social media, discredited the achievements of the government and supported the far-right parties. Russian interference was critical during this period. Consequently, opinion polls indicated an extremely polarised society and the possibility of a government coalition between the far right and extremist parties after the elections.
On 13 May, Petr Fiala, along with politicians from the Spolu coalition, launched an information campaign throughout the Czech Republic, aimed at informing citizens about the government’s work.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the upcoming elections “are not just about the next four years of government, but about democracy, security, prosperity, and the values on which our society stands.”
Fiala emphasised that the Czech Republic needs to maintain prudent state management in the coming years, support education, build highways, roads, and railways, develop energy sources, and invest in modern sectors such as chip manufacturing, nuclear power, and artificial intelligence. It also requires clear values, principles, and a pro-Western orientation to ensure peace, prosperity, and security for its citizens.
“Over the next six weeks, together with friends from the SPOLU coalition, we will travel across the entire Czech Republic. We will visit over 200 diverse places in our beautiful country. And we want to talk to absolutely everyone. With those who support us, those we have disappointed in some way, and even those who, for some reason, don’t like us. We want to convince as many people as possible that there are plenty of sensible reasons why the SPOLU coalition deserves the chance to complete the work it has started successfully,” the Czech Prime Minister posted on X on 13 May, just before starting the campaign.
“Now it’s all or nothing! The Czech Republic faces fundamental challenges that will shape our future for decades to come. The world around us is changing – we are dealing with the consequences of Russia’s aggressive policies, the rise of populism and extremism, and uncertainty in the global economy,” highlighted Petr Fiala.
ANO party was launched as a pro-European, centrist liberal movement in 2011. However, populism prevailed soon. As European institutions, among others OLAF, start to investigate Babiš’ attempts to associate state and personal business affairs, he turned ANO into an anti-Brussels, anti-immigration group. In 2024, he joined the Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán and other far-right European parties to form the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament.
In early September, the Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned that Andrej Babiš is willing to make deals with extremist parties, which threatens both the country’s democracy and its position in Europe.
What the Fiala government did
Petr Fiala assumed the role of Prime Minister during a particularly challenging period for the Czech Republic, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, an energy crisis, the war in Ukraine, and significant shifts in the global order. In the face of these challenges, he successfully led the country towards greater resilience and self-confidence, enhancing its standing among democratic nations in Europe.
In response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Czech Republic was among the first countries to unequivocally designate the aggressor and to extend support to the nation under attack. This support encompassed not only political assistance but also military and humanitarian efforts.
A notable accomplishment of the Fiala administration was achieving energy independence from Russia within a remarkably short time frame. This was accomplished through the redirection of gas and oil supplies and the establishment of new infrastructure and contractual relationships, effectively safeguarding the country from potential crisis.
As the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský stated during his speech at the IISS Manama Dialogue this year, the Czech Republic “has broken the energy shackles of Moscow. We have ended our use of Russian oil thanks to the strengthening of the TAL pipeline, we have reduced our dependence on Russian gas from 98% to almost zero, and we are diversifying nuclear fuel. Dependence can be eliminated. It takes effort, but it is worth it.”
Under the leadership of Petr Fiala, the Czech Republic has adopted a robust position regarding its relations with China. A significant decision during this period was the exclusion of Russian and Chinese companies from the completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant. This strategic move not only bolstered the country’s energy security but also reaffirmed its alignment with partners who uphold democratic values, as well as principles of openness and security.
In a context where numerous European nations are grappling with political instability and frequent changes in government, it is noteworthy that Fiala’s administration has completed its entire term in office.
Despite the complexities of managing a coalition comprising five distinct parties, the Prime Minister has demonstrated effective leadership, fostering a collaborative environment centred on shared objectives. This stability has facilitated the implementation of various long-term initiatives, including public finance consolidation and reforms in education, digitalisation, defence, and energy.
Furthermore, Fiala’s government has made significant advancements in enhancing the nation’s defence capabilities. The Czech Republic’s participation in a defence treaty with the United States, the modernisation of its armed forces, acquisitions of advanced military equipment, and an increase in the defence budget to over 2% of GDP are concrete steps that align the country with the standards of key NATO allies.
During a recent meeting with President Pavel, Andrej Babiš failed to provide clarity on his government’s policies regarding Ukraine, European defence, or the European Union. There are concerns that a potential coalition formed by his far-right ANO party in conjunction with extremist groups, such as the Motorists and the SPD, could lead to diplomatic isolation for the Czech Republic. Such a coalition could pose risks to the nation’s energy independence, adversely affect its economy, and foster alliances with authoritarian regimes in Moscow and Beijing.
