Czech Election Race Shaken by Dog-Slaying Hitman Allegation

The Czech political landscape has been rocked by a scandal involving allegations that a lawmaker attempted to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband’s new girlfriend’s dog. Margita Balasťáková, a member of the ANO party led by front-runner Andrej Babiš, has been accused of making these disturbing remarks in recorded conversations. As the nation approaches parliamentary elections in early October 2023, Babiš faces the challenge of managing the fallout from this incident while maintaining his campaign momentum.

Balasťáková, who was considered for the position of agriculture minister in a future Babiš government, was removed from the party’s candidate list following the release of recordings by Czech news outlet Seznam Zprávy. In these recordings, she allegedly discussed using her connections to harm her ex-husband’s business and hire someone to kill the dog. Despite the severity of the claims, Balasťáková denied any wrongdoing, asserting on Facebook that the recordings were manipulated. She emphasized that “the dog in question is alive.”

In response to the mounting controversy, Balasťáková announced her decision to suspend her party membership, claiming the allegations were a coordinated effort to undermine the ANO movement. “The fact that all these lies have surfaced right now is, to me, a clear sign that it’s an attempt to damage the ANO movement,” she stated. The Czech police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

Babiš, who has weathered various scandals in his political career, condemned Balasťáková’s actions. “Of course Balasťáková messed up. You just can’t talk like that,” he remarked during a pre-election meeting. He emphasized the party’s commitment to animal welfare, stating, “We all love animals,” and asserting that such behavior is unacceptable in the ANO movement.

The incident has sparked significant media attention, particularly given the high rate of pet ownership in the Czech Republic, where 42 percent of households own dogs, one of the highest proportions in the European Union. Polling data from the Prague-based STEM research institute currently positions Babiš and the ANO party at 32.5 percent support, significantly ahead of the ruling Spolu coalition at 20 percent.

To counteract the negative press, Babiš has employed a series of public relations tactics aimed at connecting with voters. In a symbolic gesture, he recently climbed Lysá hora, the highest mountain in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids, accompanied by supporters and their dogs. Social media posts from his campaign featured images of him engaging with dogs, including one that showed a dog drinking from a bowl attached to an ANO campaign banner.

Political analysts suggest that Babiš’s focus on animal welfare is a strategic move designed to resonate with the electorate. Otto Eibl, a political scientist at Masaryk University in Brno, commented, “Animals humanize politicians. Czechs are a nation of dog and cat lovers, so it makes sense to show and use animals.”

The opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS), led by current Prime Minister Petr Fiala, has seized the opportunity to criticize Babiš. They posed a pointed question in a social media post: “Will your dogs be safe if ANO comes to power?” This attack underscores the potential vulnerabilities Babiš faces as he navigates the election landscape.

Despite the challenges presented by this scandal, Babiš remains optimistic about his party’s prospects in the upcoming elections. He has previously navigated more significant controversies, including allegations of kidnapping his own son and an ongoing €2 million EU subsidy fraud case. As the October elections draw near, the effectiveness of Babiš’s damage control strategies remains to be seen in the context of this latest scandal.