An
ebullient Babis told supporters that ANO would seek a one-party cabinet
but would talk with two small parties - including the far-right SPD -
for support as his party will lack an outright majority.
He
again rejected accusations that his win would make the central European
nation a less reliable European Union and NATO partner.
WHO WILL BABIS TEAM UP WITH?
"We want to save Europe ... and we are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO," Babis told reporters.
With
nearly all results in, ANO was set to replace the current centre-right
cabinet led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Fiala congratulated Babis and
conceded defeat.
ANO
promised faster growth, higher wages and pensions, and lower taxes and
tax discounts for students and young families during the campaign.
Those pledges - that will cost billions of euros, end austerity and test the country's frugal mindset - resonated with many Czechs who have seen their real incomes plunge in recent years as the country tackled soaring inflation.
Babis,
however, must overcome some hurdles to become prime minister, including
conflict-of-interest laws as owner of a chemicals and food empire and
long-running fraud charges related to drawing an EU subsidy over 15
years ago - charges he denies.
With 99% of voting districts counted, ANO was leading on 34.7% and Spolu in second on 23.2%, the Statistical Office said.
President Petr Pavel, who will appoint the next prime minister, was expected to start talks with party leaders on Sunday.
ANO
was seen winning around 80 seats in the 200-seat lower house, results
projections showed, and so will need to find wider support.
Babis said he would talk to the Motorists, who oppose the EU's Green policies, and the anti-EU and anti-NATO SPD.
Motorists leader Petr Macinka said he was open to talks with ANO, as did SPD.
'STRONG CZECHIA'
"We
went into the election with the aim of ending the government of Petr
Fiala and support even for a minority cabinet of ANO is important for us
and it would meet the target we had for this election," SPD Deputy
Chairman Radim Fiala said on television.
Overall,
the fringe pro-Russian parties fared worse than expected in the partial
results, with SPD on 7.8% and the far-left Stacilo!, built around the
Communist Party, below the 5% threshold to enter parliament.
Babis,
who led a centre-left cabinet in 2017-2021, once wanted to join the
euro but has since become a eurosceptic and a supporter of U.S.
President Donald Trump, handing out "Strong Czechia" baseball caps
inspired by Trump's MAGA slogan.
An
ally of Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, Babis has teamed up with a
number of far-right parties in the Patriots for Europe group in the
European Parliament to challenge the mainstream direction of Europe's
policies, including decarbonisation.
He
has rejected calls from SPD to hold a referendum on leaving the EU and
NATO, but has said he would end the "Czech initiative" that has bought
millions of artillery rounds from around the world for Ukraine with
funding from Western donors.
ANO
wants NATO and the EU to handle aid for Ukraine, and has abstained in
some European Parliament votes supporting Kyiv and its bid for EU
membership, which Babis has opposed in the past.
Reporting by Jan Lopatka, Radovan Stoklasa, Jason Hovet and Michael Kahn. Writing by Michael Kahn, Editing by Alexandra Hudson, Susan Fenton and Mark Potter
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια :
Δημοσίευση σχολίου