Czech Eurosceptic billionaire Andrej Babi? is set to return as prime minister in a government with two extremist parties, consolidating the rightwing populist bloc in central and eastern Europe and straining western support for Ukraine.
Babi? — whose ANO party won the most votes in last month’s election but fell short of a majority — on Monday signed a coalition pact with the Eurosceptic Motorists and the pro-Russia, far-right SPD party.
The coalition drags the Czech government further to the right and is likely to undermine western support for Ukraine. Babi? has confirmed since the election that his government will end budget funding for sending weapons to Ukraine. He has also criticised a Prague-led initiative that has been supplying artillery ammunition to Kyiv.