Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš was briefly hospitalized on Monday after being assaulted during a campaign event. Babiš, who is currently leading ahead of the October parliamentary election, suffered a blow to the head and back with a crutch at a rally in Dobrá, Czechia. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays and released shortly afterward.
Babiš expressed gratitude for the support he received, stating he hopes to recover soon. He mentioned awaiting further test results on Tuesday and cited medical advice to rest, which led to the cancellation of his event in the Olomouc region.
The police have arrested a suspect and categorized the incident as “disorderly conduct.” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala condemned the violence, emphasizing that it has no place in politics and urged for dialogue and understanding in society. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attributed the assault to political demonization by Babiš’s opponents.
ANO party vice chair Alena Schillerová blamed the current government’s rhetoric for the attack, suggesting their campaign fostered hatred. This incident mirrors the previous politically motivated attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Babiš, who served as Czech prime minister from 2017 to 2021, is leading in polls with 31 percent, with the governing Spolu (Together) coalition trailing at 21 percent. No immediate comment was available from an ANO spokesperson.
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