Populist Babiš leads Czech election and could chip away support for Ukraine

PRAGUE (AP) — Billionaire Andrej Babiš appeared to be winning a Czech parliamentary election in what would be a political comeback of another populist leader in Central Europe, partial results indicated on Saturday.

With the votes from almost 50% of polling station counted by the Statistics Office, Babiš’s ANO (YES) movement was in the lead with 38.3% of the vote followed by the pro-Western coalition led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala with 20.3%. The coalition defeated him in the 2021 election.

A group of mayors known as STAN, also a member of Fiala’s government, had 10.6%. The major anti-migrant force, the Freedom and Direct Democracy party got 8.3% while a right-wing group calling itself the Motorists received 7.1%. The two are potential partners for Babiš.

The Pirates party is the last group to surpass a 5% threshold to win seats with 7.6% of the vote.

A victory by Babis could put the country on a course away from supporting Ukraine and toward Hungary and Slovakia, which have taken a pro-Russian path.

With the victory, Babiš would join the ranks of Prime Ministers Viktor Orbán of Hungary and Robert Fico of Slovakia, whose countries have refused to provide military aid to Ukraine, continue to import Russian oil and oppose European Union sanctions on Russia.

The Czech Republic has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The country has donated arms including heavy weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces and is behind an initiative that acquires artillery shells Ukraine badly needs from countries outside the EU.

Babiš has questioned such support and also refused to fully endorse a NATO commitment to significantly increase defense spending.

He joined forces with his friend Orbán last year to create a new alliance in the European Parliament, the “Patriots for Europe,” to represent hard-right groups, a significant shift from the liberal Renew group that Babiš previously belonged to.

The Patriots are united by anti-migrant rhetoric, a critical stance toward EU policies tackling climate change, and the protection of national sovereignty.

His populist ANO (YES) movement, which he defined as a “catch-all” party, lost the parliamentary election in October 2021 after a turbulent term including the COVID-19 pandemic. A coalition of five parties formed a new government.

Babiš would prefer to rule alone, but he is unlikely to win a majority to do it. He has ruled out cooperation with any of the parties that have been in the government after the 2021 election.

His potential partners include two coalitions that are openly pro-Russian and want to lead the country out of the EU and NATO. They include the Freedom party and a coalition led by the maverick Communists that currently had …%.

Babiš declared that was not his intention. Another potential ally, a right-wing group calling itself the Motorists that is backed by former EU-skeptic President Václav Klaus, has vowed to reject the EU’s environment policies.