Thousands of Czechs rallied in the capital on Sunday (June 21, 2026) to condemn a plan by the government led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that is considered dangerous for their independence.

The protesters gathered in front of the Czech public television offices in Prague to voice their support for the media a day before their staffers plan to go on a warning strike and after recent protest marches in the regional capitals and Prague.

According to the plan approved by the government, public radio and television would be financed from the state budget starting next year, and not from fees paid by individuals, households and businesses.

Critics say that change would give the three-party coalition government a means to take control of the media following the examples of populist governments in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

“The media don’t belong to politicians,” Mikuláš Minár, a main organizer from the Million Moments for Democracy group said. “They belong to us all and we won’t allow them to be stolen from us.” Mr. Babiš, members of his government and loyal lawmakers have a record of attacks against the public and other mainstream media.

The government plan, which has been criticized by international media organizations, would give the media about 15 per cent less money than they have this year. It contains no guarantees of funding in the future.

The directors of public radio and television said that would require them to lay off hundreds of staffers. Babiš said the media need to save money.

The agenda of Mr. Babiš’ coalition includes steering the country away from supporting Ukraine and rejecting some key EU policies.

Populist billionaire Andrej Babis was sworn in as the Czech Republic’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday (December 9, 2025), following October’s parliamentary election, in a return to power for the businessman.

Mr. Babis, who was previously Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021, promised Czechs that he “will fight for their interests at home and anywhere in the world” and will do his utmost for the Czech Republic to become “the best place for life on earth”. President Petr Pavel swore in Mr. Babis as Prime Minister.

Mr. Pavel had asked him to form a new Government after his ANO or YES movement won big in the October 3 and 4 ballot and agreed to form a majority coalition government with two other small political groups, the Freedom and Direct Democracy anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves.

The parties have agreed to create a 16-member Cabinet, with ANO holding eight posts and the Prime Minister’s office. The Motorists would have four and the Freedom Party three.

The new partnership makes up 108 seats in the 200-seat Lower House of Parliament, relegating the four centre-right parties of the pro-Western Government led by former Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the Opposition.

It wasn’t immediately clear when Mr. Pavel might appoint the entire Cabinet. Its appointment is expected to change the government’s policies.

The new coalition is set to follow Hungary and Slovakia, and steer the country away from supporting Ukraine in Russia’s nearly four-year war. The coalition members are critical of the European Union (EU), rejecting its policies, particularly on the environment and migration.

Mr. Babis, 71, still faces fraud charges in a case involving EU subsidies, and the new Parliament will have to lift his official immunity for a court to issue a verdict. After he lost the 2021 parliamentary election, he was beaten by Mr. Pavel, a retired army general, in a vote for the largely ceremonial post of President.

Mr. Babis was appointed after he met a condition set by Mr. Pavel and publicly announced that he would get rid of his major businesses to avoid a conflict of interest that could arise from his private dealings and his political status.

Mr. Babis owns around 200 companies under the Agrofert conglomerate. He said an independent trustee will be in charge of Agrofert in a trust fund, while it will be under the control of an independent protector until he dies, and then his descendants will inherit it.

Mr. Babis also owns a network of clinics and labs, while his close ally from ANO is a candidate for the new Health Minister.