Billionaire populist Andrej Babis’ party wins Czech parliamentary election

Billionaire entrepreneur Andrej Babis has emerged victorious in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections, although his populist ANO party failed to secure an outright majority. Preliminary results indicate that ANO garnered just under 35% of the vote, translating to 81 seats in the 200-member lower house. Babis, who previously served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, is now poised to initiate negotiations to form a new coalition government. While the election outcome aligns with long-standing predictions, it raises significant questions about the future political landscape. Babis is expected to engage in talks with two smaller right-wing, eurosceptic parties that crossed the 5% electoral threshold: the anti-Green Deal Motorists for Themselves and the anti-immigrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, led by Czech-Japanese entrepreneur Tomio Okamura. ANO shares common ground with the Motorists, particularly in their opposition to EU emissions targets and the financial burden of transitioning to cleaner energy. However, forming an alliance with the SPD may prove more challenging due to ideological differences and internal party dynamics. Babis has firmly rejected SPD’s key demands, such as referendums on EU or NATO membership. Despite these hurdles, Babis may opt to lead a minority government supported by the Motorists and SPD, navigating the complexities of coalition politics.