As voters in the wrap up a second day of voting in the country’s parliamentary election, a familiar face looks set to return to power.
Opinion polls show that the of billionaire former Prime Minister , a self-described “Trumpist” who opposes continued military assistance for Ukraine, is leading with over 30% of the vote.
ANO translates as Yes, but is also an acronym for Action of Dissatisfied Citizens.
The center-right Spolu (Together) coalition, headed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, trails with around 20% of the vote, according to surveys. Another liberal-conservative bloc, STAN, is polling around 10%, with numerous others also garnering support.
What would the consequences of a Babis/ANO victory be for Ukraine and the EU?
Observers fear that an ANO victory in the vote for spots in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies could spell trouble for Ukraine. The Czech Republic under Fiala has been a steadfast ally to Kyiv.
The vote could further tip the balance of power within the EU, with the Czech Republic potentially joining truculent and in opposition to Brussels. Hungary and Slovakia have rejected Ukraine military aid and challenged EU sanctions against Russia.
Babis has dubbed himself as a “peacemonger” during the campaign and promised a “Czech first” approach to leadership.
Speaking to reporters after casting his ballot in the eastern city of Ostrava, Babis said, “Nothing is certain, we haven’t won yet.”
Fiala, casting his ballot in Brno, made the stakes of the election clear, saying voters are “deciding the direction of the Czech Republic… whether we head into the past or into the future, whether our path goes east or west.”
What happens if Babis and ANO don’t win an outright majority?
Though ANO looks likely to come out on top, it may not win an absolute majority, meaning Babis could be forced to form a coalition.
A likely partner would be the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, which is polling at around 12%. Observers say the SPD has spent far more than all other parties for online advertising. It is also accused of using TikTok accounts to “systematically spread pro-Russian propaganda and support anti-system parties through manipulated engagement.”
As a result, the European Commission on Thursday called an “emergency meeting” with the operators of TikTok, leading to the removal of “several bots” from the platform “in the context of Czech elections.”
Polls are scheduled to close at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) with Czech media reporting that voter turnout was high on Friday.
Results are expected to be announced on Saturday evening.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
The post Czech Republic: ‘Trumpist’ ex-PM set to win vote appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
