Similar topics
Search
Latest topics
Czechs vote in parliamentary election for second day
Czechs vote in parliamentary election for second day
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech citizens are voting for a second day in a parliamentary election that could install another euroskeptic government in Central Europe. Two days of balloting that started Friday are being held to fill 200 seats in the Czech Republic's lower house of Parliament.
Voting wraps up on Saturday afternoon and results are expected late in the day. The centrist ANO (YES) movement led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis was the front-runner heading into the election. Polls show he is likely to become the next prime minister despite allegations of fraud linked to EU subsidies.
Babis has been critical of the European Union; he opposes the EU's quota system on redistributing refugees and setting a date for adopting the euro. Eight parties and groupings are in line to win seats.
Voting wraps up on Saturday afternoon and results are expected late in the day. The centrist ANO (YES) movement led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis was the front-runner heading into the election. Polls show he is likely to become the next prime minister despite allegations of fraud linked to EU subsidies.
Babis has been critical of the European Union; he opposes the EU's quota system on redistributing refugees and setting a date for adopting the euro. Eight parties and groupings are in line to win seats.
Lamplighter- Slayer of scums
- Location : I am the Judge, Jury and Executioner
Join date : 2011-06-24
Age : 84
Re: Czechs vote in parliamentary election for second day
Populist billionaire's party wins big in Czech Republic.
PRAGUE (AP) — The centrist ANO movement led by populist Andrej Babis decisively won the Czech Republic's parliamentary election Saturday in a vote that shifted the country to the right and paved the way for the euroskeptic billionaire to become its next prime minister.
With all votes counted, the Czech Statistics Office said ANO won in a landslide, capturing 29.6 percent of the vote, or 78 of the 200 seats in the lower house of Parliament. "It's a huge success," the 63-year-old Babis told supporters and journalists at his headquarters in Prague.
Babis is the county's second-richest man, with a media empire including two major newspapers and a popular radio station. Although he was a finance minister in the outgoing government until May, many Czechs see him as a maverick outsider with the business acumen to shake up the system. With slogans claiming he can easily fix the country's problems, he is, for some, the Czech answer to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Since the leader of the strongest party usually gets to form a new government, Babis could be the country's next leader despite being linked to several scandals — including being charged by police with fraud linked to European Union subsidies.
The charges will likely make it difficult for Babis to find the coalition partners he needs to build a parliamentary majority. He didn't immediately say which parties he preferred but has invited all parties that won seats in parliament for talks.
In a blow to the country's political elite, four of the top five vote-getting parties Saturday had challenged the traditional political mainstream. Some have exploited fears of immigration and Islam and have been attacking the country's memberships in the EU and NATO.
The opposition conservative Civic Democrats came in a distant second Saturday with 11.3 percent of the vote, or 25 seats. They were the strongest mainstream party. The Social Democrats, the senior party in the outgoing government, captured only 7.3 percent — 15 seats — while the Christian Democrats, part of the ruling coalition, won only 5.8 percent support or 10 seats.
"It's a voting hurricane," analyst Michal Klima told the Czech television, referring to the poor results for the mainstream parties. The Pirate Party won seats for the first time, coming in third with 10.8 percent of the vote, while the most radical anti-migrant, anti-Muslim, anti-EU party, the Freedom and Direct Democracy, was in fourth place with 10.6 percent support. The two parties won 22 seats each.
Babis' centrist movement stormed Czech politics four years ago, finishing a surprising second with an anti-corruption message. Babis has also been critical of the EU and opposes setting a date for when his country would adopt the shared euro currency.
Like most Czech parties, ANO also rejects accepting refugees under the EU's quota system. But Babis played down his euroskeptic views after his victory. "We're oriented on Europe," he said. "We're not a threat for democracy. I'm ready to fight for our interests in Brussels. We're a firm part of the European Union. We're a firm part of NATO."
Still, some experts saw a strong shift to the right for the Czech Republic if Babis works out a coalition government with Tomio Okamura, head of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, who wants to ban Islam and organize a referendum to exit the EU.
"Should (Babis) join forces with Okamura, the Czech Republic would be facing difficult times," Klima said. A record nine parties and groupings made it into Parliament. Those included the Communists, who got 7.8 percent of the vote and 15 seats, the pro-EU conservatives with 5.3 percent and seven seats and a group of mayors who won 5.2 percent support and six seats.
PRAGUE (AP) — The centrist ANO movement led by populist Andrej Babis decisively won the Czech Republic's parliamentary election Saturday in a vote that shifted the country to the right and paved the way for the euroskeptic billionaire to become its next prime minister.
With all votes counted, the Czech Statistics Office said ANO won in a landslide, capturing 29.6 percent of the vote, or 78 of the 200 seats in the lower house of Parliament. "It's a huge success," the 63-year-old Babis told supporters and journalists at his headquarters in Prague.
Babis is the county's second-richest man, with a media empire including two major newspapers and a popular radio station. Although he was a finance minister in the outgoing government until May, many Czechs see him as a maverick outsider with the business acumen to shake up the system. With slogans claiming he can easily fix the country's problems, he is, for some, the Czech answer to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Since the leader of the strongest party usually gets to form a new government, Babis could be the country's next leader despite being linked to several scandals — including being charged by police with fraud linked to European Union subsidies.
The charges will likely make it difficult for Babis to find the coalition partners he needs to build a parliamentary majority. He didn't immediately say which parties he preferred but has invited all parties that won seats in parliament for talks.
In a blow to the country's political elite, four of the top five vote-getting parties Saturday had challenged the traditional political mainstream. Some have exploited fears of immigration and Islam and have been attacking the country's memberships in the EU and NATO.
The opposition conservative Civic Democrats came in a distant second Saturday with 11.3 percent of the vote, or 25 seats. They were the strongest mainstream party. The Social Democrats, the senior party in the outgoing government, captured only 7.3 percent — 15 seats — while the Christian Democrats, part of the ruling coalition, won only 5.8 percent support or 10 seats.
"It's a voting hurricane," analyst Michal Klima told the Czech television, referring to the poor results for the mainstream parties. The Pirate Party won seats for the first time, coming in third with 10.8 percent of the vote, while the most radical anti-migrant, anti-Muslim, anti-EU party, the Freedom and Direct Democracy, was in fourth place with 10.6 percent support. The two parties won 22 seats each.
Babis' centrist movement stormed Czech politics four years ago, finishing a surprising second with an anti-corruption message. Babis has also been critical of the EU and opposes setting a date for when his country would adopt the shared euro currency.
Like most Czech parties, ANO also rejects accepting refugees under the EU's quota system. But Babis played down his euroskeptic views after his victory. "We're oriented on Europe," he said. "We're not a threat for democracy. I'm ready to fight for our interests in Brussels. We're a firm part of the European Union. We're a firm part of NATO."
Still, some experts saw a strong shift to the right for the Czech Republic if Babis works out a coalition government with Tomio Okamura, head of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, who wants to ban Islam and organize a referendum to exit the EU.
"Should (Babis) join forces with Okamura, the Czech Republic would be facing difficult times," Klima said. A record nine parties and groupings made it into Parliament. Those included the Communists, who got 7.8 percent of the vote and 15 seats, the pro-EU conservatives with 5.3 percent and seven seats and a group of mayors who won 5.2 percent support and six seats.
Lamplighter- Slayer of scums
- Location : I am the Judge, Jury and Executioner
Join date : 2011-06-24
Age : 84
Similar topics
» Dutch election: Exit polls: Prime Minister Mark Rutte wins most seats in the parliamentary election
» FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION/GREEK ELECTION 2012
» Fox hunting vote cancelled
» FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION/GREEK ELECTION 2012
» Fox hunting vote cancelled
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Sun Dec 06, 2020 6:43 pm by Pedro Silva
» help Liam Scott
Sat May 02, 2020 1:05 pm by Pedro Silva
» WE STILL HOPE' Madeleine McCann parents vow to keep searching for their daughter in emotional Christmas message
Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:37 am by Pedro Silva
» Candles site
Fri Sep 20, 2019 6:40 pm by Pedro Silva
» Madeleine McCann's parents urge holidaymakers to take posters abroad with them this summer in bid to find their daughter
Sat Aug 03, 2019 7:33 pm by Pedro Silva
» Madeleine McCann investigation gets more funding
Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:44 pm by Pedro Silva
» new suspect in Madeleine McCann
Sun May 05, 2019 3:18 pm by Sabot
» NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:02 pm by Pedro Silva
» SUN, STAR: 'Cristovao goes on trial' - organised home invasions, etc
Sat Apr 20, 2019 7:54 am by Sabot