Sawt Falasteen - Babis vows loyalty to Europe as Czech government talks begin

Babis's ANO (YES) party won 34.5 percent of the vote, earning 80 seats in the 200-member parliament of the EU and NATO member of 10.9 million people.

A self-proclaimed "Trumpist", Babis campaigned on pledges of welfare and halting military aid to Ukraine, which made pundits worry the country might shift towards EU mavericks Slovakia and Hungary.

Babis said he would seek backing for his government from the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) movement, which earned 7.8 percent for 15 seats, and right-wing newcomers, the Motorists, with 6.8 percent and 13 seats.

Having received Babis early on Sunday, President Petr Pavel said he would name the new government in November at the earliest to give politicians room for negotiations.

Babis, who was Czech premier in 2017-2021, is on good terms with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovakia's Robert Fico, who have maintained ties with Moscow despite its invasion of Ukraine.

But after meeting Pavel, Babis said labelling him as a potential troublemaker was "not fair".

The 71-year-old, Slovak-born Babis stressed he was pro-European and wanted "Europe to work well".

He has, however, cast doubt on continued help for Kyiv in contrast with the outgoing centre-right government of Petr Fiala, which has backed Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in 2022.

"Every year, we send 2.5 billion euros in the budget to Brussels. And of course Brussels is helping Ukraine. So I think we are there," Babis said.

- 'A responsible member' -

Babis also told Ukrainian media that Ukraine was "not prepared for the EU" and that "we have to end the war first".

He has pledged to review a Czech-led international drive launched by Fiala's government, which has supplied 3.5 million artillery shells to Ukraine since last year.

Babis said he was ready to discuss its future with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In the European Parliament, ANO and the Motorists are part of the far-right Patriots for Europe bloc, which Babis co-founded with Orban.

Babis met the SPD and Motorists heads on Saturday evening but declined to comment on the outcome, saying only the talks were "mostly positive".

"We will definitely seek a single-party government led by ANO," Babis said.

SPD and Motorists leaders said Sunday they were ready to participate in the government, without going into detail.

- 'Personal interest' -

Babis will have a problem with the SPD's push for a referendum on leaving the European Union, said Petr Just, an analyst from the Metropolitan University in Prague.

"It is clear that this issue will be on the table and that it will be the subject of some bargaining," he told AFP, adding it gave the SPD some "blackmailing potential" as Babis will not be able to rule without the party.

But Babis "will obviously not be interested in taking any hasty steps in relation to the EU", said Just, pointing out the leader's business interests in western Europe.

"He will probably be critical, but otherwise he has both a political and, above all, a personal interest in ensuring that Czechia continues to have a say and a place in the EU," he added.

Pavel, a former NATO general, said he would make sure the Czech Republic would remain "a critical but responsible member" of the EU and NATO.

In office since beating Babis in a 2023 presidential run-off vote, Pavel has voiced concern over Babis's conflict of interest as a politician deciding on subsidies and a businessman receiving them.

But he said Sunday that Babis had proposed solutions "to comply with the letter of the law" during their meeting.

The seventh-wealthiest Czech, according to Forbes magazine, Babis is also facing trial over EU subsidy fraud worth more than $2 million.

He 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.

P.Tamimi--SF-PST