Czech scandal-tainted PM Andrej Babis favorite in Czech vote

PRAGUE (AP) — Czechs are voting in a parliamentary election for a final day as polls suggest Prime Minister Andrej Babis has a good chance of retaining power despite a turbulent first term. Two days of balloting to fill 200 seats in the lower house of the Czech Republic’s parliament took place in the immediate wake of Babis’ financial dealings showing up in an investigative journalism project dubbed the “Pandora Papers.” The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said the populist billionaire put over $20 million into shell companies to buy 16 properties in France. Babis has denied wrongdoing. All polls favor his centrist ANO (YES) movement to place first in the election that concludes Saturday.