'Trumpist' billionaire Andrej Babis wins Czech parliamentary election

The party of billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis topped the Czech parliamentary election on Saturday with 99 percent of the vote counted, according to official results.

His ANO (Yes) party, campaigning on pledges of welfare and halting military aid to Ukraine, scored 34.7 percent of the vote in country of 10.9 million people. 

The pro-Western coalition of outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala followed suit with 23.2 percent of the vote, ahead of its coalition partner STAN with 11.2 percent.

A total of six parties were elected, including the Pirate Party with 8.9 percent, the far-right opposition Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) with 7.8 percent and right-wing newcomers, the Motorists, with 6.8 percent.

A triumphant Babis, a self-proclaimed "Trumpist", was all smiles and hailed the "historic result" as "the absolute peak" of his political career.

"We will definitely lead talks with the SPD and the Motorists and seek a single-party government led by ANO," Babis said.

He also said the government would review a Czech-led international drive to supply artillery shells to Ukraine, launched by Fiala's government, and "discuss it with (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky" if necessary.

"We are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO," he added to dispel fears he might draw the Czech Republic closer to EU mavericks Hungary and Slovakia, which have refused military aid to Ukraine and oppose sanctions on Russia.

Read moreElections in Czech Republic could end the country's solidarity towards Ukrainians

'Key player'

In the European Parliament, ANO is part of the far-right Patriots for Europe bloc, which Babis himself co-founded with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Orban was quick to congratulate Babis on X: "Truth has prevailed!" he wrote. "A big step for the Czech Republic, good news for Europe. Congratulations, Andrej!"

Fiala's government has provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022.

But it upset voters with a failure to tame taxes and inflation and kickstart affordable housing construction, while some also blamed it for ignoring problems at home and focusing on Ukraine.

"I congratulate the election winner, which is Andrej Babis," Fiala said, rejecting any efforts to rebuild the current governing coalition.

Turnout was high at almost 69 percent.

The SPD is promoting a referendum on the Czech Republic leaving the European Union, something that Babis has vehemently rejected.

Its leader, Tokyo-born lawmaker Tomio Okamura, said he would meet Babis later on Saturday.

"What lies ahead for us is probably a government led by Andrej Babis, but the question is, who he will join forces with?" Otto Eibl, an analyst at Masaryk University in the second Czech city of Brno, told AFP.

"I think the SPD... will be the key player. We'll see if it's happy with staying outside the government while wielding some influence on its policy," Eibl added.

'Pragmatic businessman'

Czech President Petr Pavel, who will tap the next premier under the constitution, said he would start talks with the elected party heads on Sunday.

Pavel met Babis earlier this week to discuss the tycoon's conflict of interest as a businessman and politician, and the fact that Babis is facing trial over EU subsidy fraud worth over $2 million.

Read moreAre pro-Kremlin Russian cultural figures returning to the spotlight in Europe?

Babis is charged with taking his farm south of Prague out of his sprawling Agrofert food and chemicals holding in 2007 to make it eligible for an EU subsidy for small companies.

"On the conflict of interest, I have promised Mr President to meet him and show him a solution that will be in line with Czech and European laws," said Babis.

Describing himself as a "peacemonger" calling for a truce in Ukraine, Babis has vowed a "Czechs first" approach, echoing US President Donald Trump.

When he was prime minister from 2017 to 2021, Babis was critical of some EU policies and is on good terms with Orban and Slovakia's Robert Fico, who have maintained ties with Moscow despite its invasion of Ukraine.

Charles University analyst Josef Mlejnek told AFP he did not expect "a fundamental change" in Czech foreign policy under Babis, who has business interests in western Europe.

"Babis is a pragmatic businessman and the only thing he cares about is being prime minister," he added.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)