Prague (AFP) - The party of billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis topped the Czech general election on Saturday, according to near-final official results, setting eyes on a single-party minority government backed by the far-right.

Babis’s ANO (Yes) party, campaigning on pledges of welfare and halting military aid to Ukraine, scored 34.6 percent of the vote for a preliminary 80 seats in the 200-member parliament of the EU and NATO member of 10.9 million people.

Outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s Together grouping came second with 23.3 percent, ahead of its coalition partner STAN with 11.2 percent.

A total of six parties were elected, including the Pirate Party with 8.9 percent, the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) with 7.8 percent and right-wing newcomers, the Motorists, with 6.8 percent.

A triumphant Babis, a self-proclaimed “Trumpist”, was all smiles and hailed the “historic result” as “the absolute peak” of his political career.

“We will definitely lead talks with the SPD and the Motorists and seek a single-party government led by ANO,” Babis said.

Babis added he would review a Czech-led international drive to supply artillery shells to Ukraine, launched by Fiala’s government, and “discuss it with (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky” if necessary.

“We are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO,” he added to dispel fears he might draw the Czech Republic closer to EU mavericks Hungary and Slovakia, refusing military aid to Ukraine and opposing sanctions on Russia.

- ‘Key player’ -

In the European Parliament, ANO is part of the far-right Patriots for Europe bloc, which Babis himself co-founded with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Orban was quick to congratulate Babis on X: “Truth has prevailed!” he wrote. “A big step for the Czech Republic, good news for Europe. Congratulations, Andrej!”

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen also hailed Babis’s victory on X, saying that “all over Europe, people call patriotic parties to power in a bid to regain liberty and prosperity”.

Fiala’s government has provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022, but voters slammed it for ignoring problems at home.

“I congratulate the election winner, Andrej Babis,” Fiala said, rejecting any efforts to rebuild the current governing coalition.

Turnout was high at almost 69 percent.

The SPD is promoting a referendum on the Czech Republic leaving the European Union, which Babis has vehemently rejected.

Its leader, Tokyo-born lawmaker Tomio Okamura, and Motorists head Petr Macinka both said they would meet Babis later on Saturday.

“I think the SPD… will be the key player,” Otto Eibl, an analyst at Masaryk University in the second Czech city of Brno, told AFP.

“We’ll see if it’s happy with staying outside the government while wielding some influence on its policy,” he added.

- ‘Pragmatic businessman’ -

Czech President Petr Pavel, who will tap the next premier under the constitution, said he would start talks with the elected party heads on Sunday.

Pavel, in office since beating Babis in a 2023 presidential run-off vote, met the ANO leader earlier this week to discuss the tycoon’s conflict of interest as a businessman and politician.

“I have promised Mr President to meet him and show him a solution that will be in line with Czech and European laws,” said Babis.

The seventh-wealthiest Czech, according to Forbes magazine, Babis is also facing trial over EU subsidy fraud worth over $2 million.

He is charged with taking his farm south of Prague out of his sprawling Agrofert food and chemicals holding in 2007 to make it eligible for an EU subsidy for small companies.

Describing himself as a “peacemonger” calling for a truce in Ukraine, Babis has vowed a “Czechs first” approach, echoing US President Donald Trump.

When he was prime minister from 2017 to 2021, Babis was critical of some EU policies and is on good terms with Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, who have maintained ties with Moscow despite its invasion of Ukraine.

Charles University analyst Josef Mlejnek told AFP he did not expect “a fundamental change” in Czech foreign policy under Babis, who has business interests in western Europe.

“Babis is a pragmatic businessman and the only thing he cares about is being prime minister,” he added.