Czech Coalition Faces Turmoil After Pirate Party Exit

The Czech centre-right government's parliamentary majority is set to decrease after the liberal Pirate party voted to leave the ruling coalition. This reaction follows the dismissal of its leader as development minister. Although the government will experience a reduction of four seats, it will still maintain a majority in the lower house.

The Czech centre-right government's parliamentary majority is set to shrink following the liberal Pirate party's decision to exit the ruling coalition. The move comes after the party's leader was dismissed as development minister.

Nearly eighty percent of Pirate members who participated in an internal poll supported leaving Prime Minister Petr Fiala's government. This will prompt two ministers, including Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, to resign on Tuesday.

The exit will result in a loss of four seats for the government in parliament, leaving it with a slim majority of 104 members in the 200-seat lower house. Fiala's surprise decision last week to dismiss Pirate leader Ivan Bartos was due to mismanagement issues related to a digital building permits system.

President Petr Pavel approved Bartos's dismissal on Monday evening. This shake-up follows poor performances in regional and senate elections, heightening coalition anxiety ahead of next year's national elections where the opposition has a comfortable lead in polls.

Fiala announced on the social media platform X that he aims to complete the cabinet reshuffle by next week. There remains a possibility for Lipavsky to retain his position as foreign minister due to his prominent role in supporting Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)