PRAGUE (Reuters) -The likely next Czech government rejected the outgoing administration’s 2026 budget draft on Monday, raising the chances of a delay to approving the plan by the end of the year and a higher-than-expected deficit.

Czech billionaire Andrej Babis’ populist ANO party, winner of an October election and leading talks on forming the next government, has sparred with the outgoing centre-right cabinet over its 2026 budget plan, saying it lacks billions of euros to cover expected expenses.

The parliament’s budget committee, led by ANO and its prospective partners, recommended on Monday that the full lower house reject the draft and demanded they resubmit a draft within 20 days – possibly with a higher deficit than the currently planned 286 billion crowns ($13.65 billion).

ANO’s

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