Czech Republic: Populist Andrej Babis wins parliamentary election

Political earthquake in the Czech Republic: The right-wing populist and billionaire Andrej Babis has become the strongest force in the parliamentary elections with his ano movement. According to the number of 90 percent of the electoral districts, the right -wing populist opposition party came to just under 36 percent of the votes, as resulted in the official data of the statistics authority CSU in the afternoon.

After four years in the opposition and the defeat in the presidential election in 2023, the 71 -year -old large entrepreneur Babis has succeeded in a comeback. The Middle Rights Alliance Spolu (joint) of the Prime Minister Petr Fiala crashed to around 22 percent of the vote after the partial result. The Mayor party that has been co -regulating so far received almost 11 percent. Two possible coalition partners for Babis should move into parliament: a new driver party and ultra -right freedom and direct democracy.

Babis announced an end to his country’s arms deliveries to Ukraine in the election campaign. That would mean the end of the Czech grenade initiative, which has already delivered around 3.5 million shots of large-caliber ammunition to Kiev since its start. The government parties had put the focus of their election campaign on the threats of Russia. Babis, on the other hand, accused them of walking panic. “I don’t know which direction the Russian tanks should come from,” he said.

According to observers, for many, the voters focused on concern for their own wallet. The annual inflation rate was recently 2.5 percent, but had reached double -digit values ​​in 2023. The ano party promised “lower taxes” and “cheaper energy” on posters. At the EU level, the Ano has switched from the Liberal Group Renew Europe to right-wing populist to right-wing extremist patriots for Europe. There she sits in a row with the Fidesz by Viktor Orban from Hungary, the FPÖ from Austria and the RN Marine Le Pens from France.

Like every four years, the 200 seats in the House of Representatives, the more important of the two parliamentary chambers in Prague. The constitution leaves President Petr Pavel largely free to give the government mandate. As a rule, however, this is the faction with most mandates. The Czech Republic has been a NATO partner since 1999 and EU member since 2004. With Germany, the country shares a more than 800 km long border.