Czech billionaire's party ANO wins general elections

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The Czech centrist ANO movement, led by populist billionaire candidate Andrej Babis, has won the country's parliamentary election by a large margin, results showed on Saturday.

According to the preliminary results published by Czech statistical office, ANO won 29.64 percent of the 99.97-percent counted ballot, followed by the Civic Democrats (ODS) which received 11.32 percent of votes.

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The Czech Pirate Party garnered 10.79 percent of votes, winning seats in the Chamber of Deputies for the first time.

The Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) won 10.64 percent of votes. The Communists (KSCM) took 7.76 percent. The ruling center-left Social Democrats (CSSD) has only gained 7.27 percent, becoming the sixth largest party.

The leader of ANO party Andrej Babis and his wife during a news conference at the party's election headquarters after the country’s parliamentary elections in Prague, Czech Republic, October 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The KDU-CSL ended up with 5.80 percent of votes, TOP 09 with 5.3 percent and STAN with 5.17 percent.

According to Czech laws, the party that wins more than five percent of the election ballot can enter the Chamber of Deputies. Thirty-one parties with more than 7,500 candidates have fought for 200 seats.

Altogether, nine parties have passed the five-percent hurdle to enter the parliament.

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ANO will have 78 seats, ODS 25 seats, Pirates and SPD 22 seats separately, the Communists and CSSD 15 seats separately, KDU-CSL 10 seats, Top 09 seven seats and STAN six seats.

Babis said he hoped President Milos Zeman would assign him to form a new government.

Turnout of the vote was 60.2 percent. The official results will be presented by the State Electoral Commission on Monday.

Seeking partners to rule

Babis faces tough negotiations after former partners the Social Democrats and centrist Christian Democrats both said on Saturday they could not be in a cabinet with anyone under police investigation.

The leader of Civic Democratic Party (ODS) party Petr Fiala looks on during a press conference at the party's election headquarters after the country’s parliamentary elections in Prague, the Czech Republic, October 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The runner-up center-right Civic Democrats also ruled out a government with ANO as well as two other small factions.

Babis was undeterred and said he would talk to all parties.

"I believe we will build a government that will be one team," Babis told supporters and journalists at his party’s headquarters. "We want to fulfill our program for a better life in our country."

Facing fraud charges

Drawing comparisons with US President Donald Trump for his business background and anti-establishment message, Babis has maintained his popularity despite charges he illegally received a two-million-euro EU subsidy when he ran his food, agriculture and chemical empire, worth an estimated four billion US dollars, before entering politics.

The leader of ANO party Andrej Babis arrives for a news conference at the party's election headquarters after the country’s parliamentary elections in Prague, Czech Republic, October 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

He has denied wrongdoing and has also fought back against rivals questioning his past business practices and accusations of conflicts of interest.

His holdings, including interests in national newspapers and a radio station, were placed in a trust earlier this year.

Eurosceptic

Babis’s tough EU line and refusal to adopt the euro until the currency zone reforms have played well with eurosceptic Czechs, but raised the prospect he may join Hungary and Poland on a collision course with the bloc.

But he also supports EU membership and does not share the relatively illiberal ideology of Budapest and Warsaw.

On Saturday, Babis said his party was pro-European despite reservations about talk of a two-speed Europe that could sideline countries like the Czech Republic which are not using the euro.

"It is not true that we are any threat. We are pro-European!" Babis said. "I am ready to fight for our interests in Brussels."

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency