Czech 'Trumpist' PM-Elect Declines to Sell Corporate Holdings During Ethical Dispute

Andrej Babiš, the self-styled billionaire who won last month's Czech election, has refused to sell his extensive business interests, while insisting he will address a conflict of interest that could prevent him from assuming the role of head of government.

Stance on Corporate Empire

Babiš, whose ANO party came first in the autumn election but lacked a parliamentary majority, declared in a online statement that he would not sell his Agrofert group, which operates in farming, food processing, and chemical industries.

“I have repeatedly said I will not sell Agrofert. I have repeatedly said I will address the conflict of interest in compliance with national and EU regulations,” Babiš remarked. “This is different from selling a roll in a bakeshop.”

Head of State's Demand

The head of state, Petr Pavel, stated that the 71-year-old populist must publicly explain how he will eliminate ethical conflicts stemming from his corporate dealings before being appointed premier.

The Czech constitution “explicitly requires the president to take into account the potential occurrence of a ethical issue and the ways to address it” when selecting cabinet members, Pavel's office noted.

The head of state “expects clarity in what specific way Andrej Babiš will meet his constitutional and legal obligations”, the announcement said, noting that Pavel was prepared to designate Babiš as prime minister “without delay” once the matter was settled.

Business Operations and Regulatory Concerns

Babiš's numerous companies, primarily under the Agrofert umbrella, function in the nation and other regional countries, receiving millions of euros in domestic and European farming and other grants, as well as government deals.

Under Czech law, government ministers cannot obtaining state support or agreements. The ethics organization Transparency International has indicated that to prevent a conflict of interest, Babiš must either divest, refuse public contracts, or not enter government.

Previous Term and Current Intentions

Babiš affirmed he would “abide by the regulations” if appointed as premier, but declined to explain how in advance because the matter was “an extremely sensitive and private affair for me, and the media will invariably criticise me regardless”.

During his first term as prime minister, from 2017 to 2021, Babiš encountered several legal battles and an European inquiry over potential conflicts of interest. He placed his holdings into fiduciary arrangements, while retaining some influence over them.

A judicial body and the EU executive both determined that this did not suffice. Babiš confirmed last month that he was once more the exclusive proprietor of Agrofert and maintained he was “implementing measures” to prevent a ethical problem, but refused to reveal specifics.

Coalition Deal and Foreign Policy Consequences

The wealthy politician has signed a governing pact with two minor right-leaning groups, the far-right, pro-Russian SPD, which has advocated a referendum on leaving the EU, and the Motorists for Themselves, which has mainly opposed the EU’s environmental policy.

The incoming administration, if approved, is likely to strengthen the populist bloc in central and eastern Europe and could challenge western support for Ukraine – even though Babiš has contacted Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to assure him of Czech support.

Pavel, who as head of state shares responsibility for international relations, also demanded that the government agenda include a statement on the official stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine, with a pledge to fulfilling alliance duties.

The head of state has earlier stated he would not approve any ministerial nominees who might question the nation's EU and Nato commitments, a requirement that the far-right SPD has said it will satisfy by nominating non-partisan experts.