Hungary's Orban hits Czech campaign trail to back PM Babis

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis welcomes Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Kramar's Villa in Prague, Czech Republic, September 29, 2021. REUTERS/David W Cerny

USTI NAD LABEM, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban backed his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis' re-election bid on Wednesday, making a display of the close ties between the two central European leaders who have supported each other in disputes with the EU.

The Czech Republic holds a parliamentary election on Oct. 8-9. Opinion polls put Babis' centrist ANO party ahead of rivals but some show him falling short of partners to form a majority government, which could hand power to a coalition between the main opposition centre-left and centre-right groups.