Andrej Babis, a 71-year-old billionaire, is the former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. He is the one on the hot seat now, scrambling to reclaim political momentum in these difficult times. His party, ANO, has fallen behind the Spolu coalition headed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the polling. Many analysts still think that Babis will emerge as the leader of the next government. With a campaign inspired by the U.S. MAGA movement and a slogan of “Strong Czechia,” Babis aims to rally support, although he may need to forge alliances with extreme factions.
Babis in this vein is an unscrupulous populist demagogue. Though under fire for his party’s pro-Russian bent, he has made clear public commitments to NATO and the European Union. In a recent televised debate, he definitively eliminated the possibility of going into coalition with the Communist Party. He knows he needs to broaden his appeal to more establishment, mainstream voters. Among the potential coalition partners for Babis are the ultra-nationalist SPD and the anti-Green-Deal Motorists. Many observers have expressed fears that these alliances may lead the Czech Republic down a more illiberal and pro-Russian path.
As Babis tries to turn the heads of all factions, he tries to reassure his voters that he won’t go Russian way. “We’ll never drag the Czech Republic to the East. I can absolutely rule that out,” he stated emphatically. His prior moves, like expelling Russian diplomats, have strengthened this argument. His beelining toward some of the world’s most nationalist groups is likely at odds with these assertions of promises to NATO and EU unity, critics say.
Babis has used some high-profile campaign gimmicks, such as donning flashy red campaign caps featuring the slogan “Strong Czechia.” This populist move plays deeply on national pride. He emphasizes his belief in strengthening NATO, which he has described as “the most important milestone in the history of the Czech Republic.” Furthermore, he reassured voters on maintaining EU membership by stating, “And never – I repeat, never – will we consider leaving the European Union. Look at what happened to Great Britain!”
Despite Babis’ ambitious play for power, expected formulations face big obstacles. The Spolu coalition still is an incredibly tough opponent, one that had built up a serious competitive advantage in the current political landscape. Voter sentiment Voters might be worried about Babis’s past governance and his party’s connections with pro-Russian actors. A formidable contender Some analysts forecast that Babis is destined to power again. If it does, that would seriously upend the Czech Republic’s long-standing foreign policy orientation.
Political analyst Roman Maca noted, “These parties are pro-Russian, so they will want what is good for the Kremlin.” He underscored the long-running disinformation campaign that Russia is currently engaged in against the Czech Republic. This latest move calls into question the Czech Prime Minister’s professed desire to safeguard national interests from external meddling.
Equally concerning, Babis’s possible coalition partners have made plans that would make governance more problematic. They advocate for cutting defense spending and expelling Ukrainian refugees—positions that starkly contrast with Babis’s previous government’s loyalty to NATO and support for Ukraine’s defense.