The Czech ruling party ANO (YES), led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, faces a significant challenge from the opposition in the first round of voting for one-third of the seats in the Czech Republic’s upper house, the Senate. The Statistics Office released the final results on Sunday, showing that the far-right ANO (YES) movement, a member of the Patriots for Europe party led by populist billionaire Babiš, has the most candidates advancing to next week’s runoffs, with 13 in total.
However, pro-Western opposition parties that formed broad coalitions across numerous districts have collectively secured 26 candidates progressing to the next round. Notably, none of the five candidates who reached the 50% threshold to win outright represent ANO; instead, four are affiliated with opposition parties.
In the 81-seat Senate, currently controlled by the opposition, ANO aims to increase its representation. A total of 27 Senate seats are available, with 22 to be determined in the runoffs between the top two candidates in each race. While Parliament’s lower house predominantly influences the legislative process, the Senate plays a critical role in passing constitutional amendments and approving judges for the Constitutional Court.
In separate local elections, various independent candidates and groupings appear to be securing a majority of seats nationwide, consistent with historical trends. ANO won in six regional capitals, two fewer than in the previous elections in 2022, and did not win in Prague.
These elections mark the first evaluation of Babiš’s leadership since his return to power after a decisive victory in the October 2025 parliamentary elections. Babiš has formed a governing coalition with two smaller far-right political parties that aim to reduce support for Ukraine and reject certain key European Union policies. Importantly, his coalition partners have no candidates running in the Senate runoffs.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
