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Czech PM Babis Backs Orban Ahead of Key Vote

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Andrej Babiš has voiced strong support for Viktor Orbán ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary election, calling him the best choice for stability and national interests during uncertain times. Babiš praised Orbán’s stance on sovereignty and competitiveness, emphasizing the importance of experienced leadership amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Opinion polls suggest Orbán, who has led Hungary for over 16 years, faces a serious challenge from opposition leader Péter Magyar. Orbán’s tenure has been marked by frequent clashes with the European Union and relatively closer ties with Russia, making the upcoming election a significant political moment for the region.

Since returning to power, Babiš has aligned more closely with Orbán in European politics, including within their shared parliamentary grouping. His government has reduced support for Ukraine and taken positions that diverge from broader EU policies, while proposing reforms critics say could mirror Hungary’s approach to governance. Despite this, the Czech Republic continues to maintain a comparatively moderate stance on Russia.

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Czech Billionaire Andrej Babis Returns as Prime Minister, Pledges to Divest from Business Empire

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Billionaire Andrej Babis has been appointed as the Czech Republic’s new prime minister, following a public pledge to relinquish control over his vast Agrofert conglomerate, which spans food processing, agriculture, and chemicals. Babis, 71, promised to serve all citizens and make the Czech Republic the “best place to live,” as he prepares to form a cabinet including far-right and Eurosceptic allies.

If Babis follows through, he will have no financial stake or influence over Agrofert’s operations, with the $4.3 billion conglomerate placed in a trust managed by an independent administrator until his death. Critics remain skeptical about the arrangement, as Czech law lacks a formal mechanism for blind trusts, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

Babis’s influence extends beyond Agrofert, controlling other ventures such as private health clinics, reproductive services, a florist chain, and a retail brand. As prime minister for the second time, his reach into Czech economic and social sectors is set to expand, with his political shift to the right signaling a departure from the pro-Ukrainian stance of his predecessor.

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Babis Outlines Plan for Business Holdings Ahead of Czech PM Appointment

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Czech ANO party leader Andrej Babis has said he will publicly reveal how he plans to restructure his extensive business assets just before his expected appointment as prime minister. The announcement aims to address concerns raised by President Petr Pavel, who insists Babis must clarify his intentions to resolve conflicts of interest before forming a new government with two right-wing parties, including the far-right SPD.

Babis, a billionaire with business interests spanning agriculture, chemicals, and healthcare, faces legal restrictions that bar government officials from owning companies receiving state or EU subsidies. While he has ruled out selling his flagship holding, Agrofert, he claims he will meet both Czech and EU rules—though he has not disclosed details. His previous attempt, placing companies into trust funds during his 2017–2021 term as prime minister, was ruled insufficient by Czech courts and the European Commission.

Legal experts and anti-corruption groups argue that the only clean solutions are selling his businesses, forgoing subsidies and public contracts, or staying out of government entirely. Despite his alliances with Europe’s far-right, Babis says he remains committed to keeping the Czech Republic firmly within the EU and NATO, even as he challenges EU climate and migration policies.

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Petr Pavel: Ex-general beats populist rival in Czech election

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Petr Pavel, a retired NATO commander, defeated populist Andrej Babis to become the new president of the Czech Republic. According to preliminary data made available by the state statistic office, the 61-year-old received 57.6% of the vote.

Shortly after the results were released, Mr. Babis—who was prime minister from 2017 to 2021—admitted defeat in a speech to his supporters. The second term of Milos Zeman, who will be replaced by the ex-general, expires in March.

Mr. Babis and Mr. Pavel’s second-round runoff was presented as a conflict between populist oligarchy and liberal democracy. The results of the elections come after a divisive campaign marked by alleged threats to kill and false information.

Earlier this week, Mr. Pavel was compelled to use Twitter to refute rumours that he had passed away that had been spread via a phoney website and emails that were stored on a Yandex server in Russia.

Mr. Babis, who recently cancelled all of his remaining in-person campaign appearances out of concern for his safety after receiving an anonymous death threat, denounced the misinformation. After the results were made public on Saturday, Mr. Pavel stated that qualities like honesty, decency, respect, and humility had triumphed.

A deliberate echo of the cries of “Havel na Hrad” that filled the streets and squares of Czechoslovakia in November 1989, there were thunderous chanting of “Pavel na Hrad” (Pavel to the Castle). Indeed Mr Pavel, a firm advocate of Czech membership of Nato and the EU, has often invoked the spirit of Vaclav Havel.

And his victory will be interpreted as a confirmation of the nation’s growing Westernization.

Mr. Pavel has come out strongly in favour of more military assistance for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and has favoured keeping the Czech Republic firmly rooted in the European Union and NATO.

In contrast, Mr. Babis was compelled to retract earlier this week after he implied that he would not uphold the nation’s duty to defend a fellow Nato member in the event of an assault.

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