Friday 27 October 2017

Andrej Babiš not a Donald Trump, nor a Czech Farage

The Czech ANO party is part of the ALDE group in the European Parliament. That in itself should have indicated to Her Majesty's Press* that this was no rabid anti-EU band like UKIP intent on breaking up the Union. Nor does a party which argues for strengthening NATO and the putative EU defence force look like a pro-Russian fifth column, as some have suggested. As to accusations of tax-dodging, it should be noted that these were made by an administration which Babiš had already accused of being riddled with corruption. The worst one can say about ANO (at present - we shall have to see what happens when a government forms in Czechia) is that it tends to be on the economic end of the liberal spectrum. However, Babiš promises many social reforms in his election manifesto also.

* I must admit that I missed the fact of ALDE membership when making my earlier post - also that ANO might join a reformed euro - but then I am only a citizen blogger, not a writer on a journal of record.

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