Czech billionaire PM Babis seeks second term in tight election race

FILE PHOTO: An election billboard for Czech Prime Minister and leader of ANO party Andrej Babis is seen ahead of Czech parliamentary election in Prague, Czech Republic, Oct. 7, 2021. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo

PRAGUE (Reuters) -Czechs begin voting on Friday in a tight parliamentary election in which Prime Minister Andrej Babis hopes to win a second term despite criticism that he mismanaged the pandemic, ran up heavy debts and mixed business interests with those of his country.

The two-day election kicks off at 2 pm local time (1200 GMT) and runs until 2 pm on Saturday.