Czechs are casting their ballots in a two-day general election, in which the party of populist billionaire Andrej Babis is expected to garner the most votes but not secure a majority, raising concerns that Ukraine ally the Czech Republic may draw closer to pro-Russian European Union countries Hungary and Slovakia.

Polling stations opened at 12:00 GMT and will close at 20:00 GMT on Friday, before reopening from 06:00 to 12:00 GMT on Saturday, with the results expected on Saturday evening.

Even if Babis’s ANO (Yes) party tops the vote, it will almost certainly have to negotiate a coalition. Analysts say the likely contender is the far-right opposition SPD movement, which is backed by about 12 percent of voters.

Babis, 71, has campaigned in the EU and NATO member of about 11 million peop

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