Candidate Babis votes in Czech elections

(27 Jan 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pruhonice - 27 January 2023
1. Czech Presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his wife, Monika Babisova, with their ballots
2. Wide of journalists
3. Babisova and Babis casting their ballots
4. Babis talking to his supporters
5. SOUNDBITE (Czech) Andrej Babis, Czech presidential candidate and former Prime Minister:
“There is a historical chance if I become a president. We have had an agreement with Mr. Prime Minister (Petr Fiala) that we don’t want the society to remain so divided as it usually is after the presidential elections, and that we would like to do something together to eliminate the hostility among people. I am ready for that if I succeed."
6. Babis and Babisova leaving, camera operators in background
7. Wide of polling station exterior
8. Ballot box
9. Person and child casting ballot
10. Ballot
11. SOUNDBITE (Czech) Veronika Uhrickova, voter:
“Well, we would like to have a president for whom we would not have to feel embarrassed.”
12. Wide of voters and voting committee
13. Voters queuing
14. Voters casting ballots
15. Czech flag on polling station exterior
STORYLINE:
Czechs started voting Friday for a new president, choosing between a retired army general and a populist billionaire in a two-day runoff election to succeed controversy-courting Milos Zeman in the largely ceremonial post.
Gen. Petr Pavel and Andrej Babis, who is a former prime minister, advanced to a second round of voting because none of the eight initial candidates received an absolute majority in the first round two weeks ago.
Babis, 68, whose centrist ANO (YES) movement ended up in opposition after losing the 2021 general election, is supported by his ally and current president Milos Zeman, with whom he shares eurosceptic views and the habit of using anti-migrant rhetoric.
“We have had and agreement with Mr. Prime Minister (Petr Fiala) that we don’t want the society to remain so divided as it usually is after the presidential elections, and that we would like to do something together to eliminate the hostility among people. I am ready for that if I succeed," Babis said after casting his ballot in Pruhonice on Friday.
In a campaign marred by false accusations and controversies, Babis caused a stir by stating that he wouldn’t send troops to Poland or the Baltics, if his country’s NATO allies were attacked.
He later backtracked.
The polls favour Pavel, an independent candidate who came a narrow first in the opening round with 35.40%.
Babis followed at 34.99%.
Three other candidates pledged their support for Pavel ahead of the ballot starting on Friday.
A number of scandals hasn’t harmed Babis’ popular support, particularly with his base, older voters.
Only days before the first round, a Prague court acquitted him of fraud charges in a $2 million case involving EU subsidies.
Babis said the charges against him were politically motivated.
Polls close on Saturday at 1300GMT and the results will be known later that day.
AP video shot by Jan Gebert
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