Babis Acquitted In Fraud Case Days Before First Round Of Presidential Election

Former Prime Minister Andrej Babis was acquitted in a fraud case just days before Czechs vote in a presidential election, where Babis is the frontrunner to advance to a runoff.

• The ex-Premier was freed of charges of defrauding CZK50mn in EU subsidies some 15 years ago, which had caused conflicts with the European Commission and undermined his political career. The prosecutor was seeking a suspended three-year prison sentence and a CZK10mn fine for the ANO leader. As the trial dragged on, Babis kept insisting on his innocence and suggested that the case was orchestrated by his political enemies.
• The court's verdict comes as a relief for the former Prime Minister, who is hoping to stage a political comeback. He is now preparing for Wednesday's TV debate with his two closest rivals, retired army general Petr Pavel and economist Danuse Nerudova. With the three leading contenders locked in a tight race, the debate may be key in deciding which pair makes it past the first round.
• According to opinion polls, Babis stands a good chance of advancing to a runoff but would likely lose to either of his two closest rivals in the second round. According to a Mandaty.cz model based on the local betting market, the clear frontrunner to become the next Czech President is Petr Pavel (52%), followed by Nerudova (26%) and Babis (20%).