The Pirate Party leadership soon took up the cudgel, however.
“We were kicked out of the government by ODS [Fiala’s ruling party] today, and it’s out of the question that we would come back to beg,” said Jakub Michálek, head of party’s parliamentary caucus.
The Pirate Party is reportedly now considering leaving the coalition, which would mean the departure of Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Legislation Minister Michal Šalomoun, following the ouster of Bartoš. It would also cut the cabinet’s strength in parliament to a slim majority.
Czech President Petr Pavel, whose approval is needed for cabinet dismissals, said he would meet with all the parties on Monday.
“What is important to me and to the citizens is that any change, if it occurs, does not affect the stability of the government,” Pavel said, adding that the recent spat threatens to bring down the government, which is not in anyone’s interest.
The Fiala government has the lowest public support of any administration in the Czech Republic since 2013. In a summer poll by the Center for Public Opinion Research, only 24 percent of respondents said they trust the cabinet following a series of unpopular decisions such as the reform of the country’s pension system earlier this year.
