Racism allegations overshadow exploratory Czech coalition talks

Prague [Czech Republic], October 15: Exploratory talks on a future government in the Czech Republic are being overshadowed by serious allegations levelled against a leading figure in one of the parties involved.
Filip Turek, who is being touted as a possible foreign minister, is facing accusations that he spread racist, sexist and homophobic content on social media in the past.
The former member of the European Parliament (MEP) is honorary chairman of the Oath and Motorists party, a right-wing fringe group.
The newspaper Deník N reported on the now-deleted posts, quoting Turek as allegedly using "the N-word" to refer to former US President Barack Obama.
Turek denied authorship and announced that he would take legal action against the newspaper.
The right-wing populist ANO (Yes) party of election winner Andrej Babis is currently negotiating with the Motorists' Party and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party about a coalition or a tolerance agreement.
In view of the Turek affair, Babis has now put the brakes on the process. "As far as personnel matters are concerned, we will perhaps return to this in a month or a month and a half," the 71-year-old said on Tuesday in a video message on X. The billionaire said that the new government's programme would be discussed first.
Babis also said the Motorists would have to convince the public that the accusations against their honorary chairman were unfounded. ANO won 80 of the 200 seats in the parliamentary elections in early October. The Motorists won 13 seats and the SPD 15. The new parliament is not scheduled to convene for its first session until November 3. (Agencies)
Source: Qatar Tribune