Living with Babiš

Three opinion polls in a row have indicated that an anti-Babiš government without the Communists and SPD won't be possible after next week's elections. Almost no one wants to talk about it, but on paper at least, no government at all looks possible, because Andrej Babiš refuses to form a coalition with the Communists or with right-wing radicals, and all the self-proclaimed "democratic" parties have vowed to shun the "non-democratic" majority. On closer inspection, Babiš's chances of forming a government look much better. Petr Pithart of KDU-ČSL, a respected moral authority, wants to reform Babiš from within. He told Respekt that it's better to be in a government with Babiš than to stay outside it. And Lubomír Zaorálek of ČSSD told Deník that he doesn't see a risk that anyone would try to change the country's EU and Nato orientation. So it seems settled. Just as Miroslav Kalousek predicted months ago, there will be a race after the elections to "kiss oligarchal ass."