Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis addresses a parliamentary session in Prague, Czech Republic, May 10, 2017. REUTERS/David W Cerny
New York Times: In Czech Election, a New Threat to European Unity
PRAGUE — He’s a media-wise billionaire used to getting his own way, and promising to run the government like a business. He wants immigrants to stay away. And although his political positions are tricky to pin down, they are tinged with populist and muscular rhetoric.
Andrej Babis, 63, who built an agribusiness and media empire in the ruins of the Soviet collapse, is the front-runner to become the Czech Republic’s new prime minister, running as the leader of a movement he created a few years ago for that very purpose.
“He is like Trump, really,” said Jiri Pehe, a political analyst and director of New York University in Prague. “You can watch him and see how he suffers in Parliament, forced to listen to other people.”
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Update #1: Prague poised to turn away from Brussels (Politico)
Update #2: Controversial oligarch Andrej Babiš could be about to win the Czech election (The Conversation).
WNU Editor: Until recently he was the country's finance minister, so he is well known by the public. Andrej Babis' anti-EU stance is also resonating with many .... especially his opposition to joining the Euro. The election will be held on October 20-21, and according to opinion polls, half of the electorate are still undecided.