Final Word from Monday, June 17, 2019

Article 68 of the Czech Constitution requires the president to appoint the other cabinet ministers after he or she has appointed a new prime minister. First a new PM, then the rest of the ministers. The new cabinet must then seek a vote of confidence in Parliament within 30 days. Any use of the term "continuation of the existing government under a new prime minister" is extremely misleading, and usually purposely so. Under the Constitution, the existing government simply cannot continue with a new PM. Even if all the other ministers remain the same, it is by definition under Article 68 a "newly appointed government" that must seek a vote of confidence. This basic constitutional principle is being misrepresented by those who know that a "change of PM" is much more acceptable to the public than a "toppling of the government." What these connivers actually want is to maneuver ČSSD into a position of demanding a "change of PM" so that once it happens, the real pressure can start to be applied to convince ČSSD not to support the "newly appointed government" in the ensuing vote of confidence. [ Czech Republic Andrej ANO ]