Czech opposition outpaced the ruling party in first round of Senate election
Opposition coalitions placed 26 candidates into the next round, while five senators won outright and none came from ANO, the Statistics Office said.
- Following the first round of voting, the centrist ANO movement advanced 13 candidates to next week's runoffs, while pro-Western opposition coalitions collectively advanced 26. Five candidates won Senate seats outright, with none from ANO.
- Prime Minister Andrej Babiš returned to power in October 2025, forming a coalition with Motorists for Themselves and Freedom and Direct Democracy . The government campaigned on domestic priorities like energy prices, pensions, and housing.
- According to the Czech Statistics Office, five candidates won Senate seats outright in the first round, equalling a historic record. Four of these winners represent opposition parties, while ANO secured victories in six regional capitals, though not in Prague.
- Earlier this month, Prime Minister Babiš survived a no-confidence vote tied to the country's widening budget deficit, reflecting political pressure on his administration. Control of the Senate remains critical for his coalition.
- With 22 of the 27 contested seats still undecided, the upcoming runoffs will determine the Senate's final composition. This chamber plays a crucial role in passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges.
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(London=Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = In the first round of voting for the Czech Senate election held on the 9th (local time), the pro-Western opposition [supported] right-wing populist Andrej Babiš...
Pro-Western parliamentary opposition parties and groups, which joined forces in many districts through broad coalitions, have succeeded in bringing a total of 26 candidates to the next round, compared with 13 in Babis
A result that reveals the weaknesses of the ruling coalition
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis' ANO party faced a tough challenge in the first round of the Senate elections held over the weekend, in a vote that was seen as a gauge of public support for his government. Czechs voted on Friday and Saturday to elect local representatives, as well as a third of the Senate. According to the Czech Statistical Office, 154 candidates ran for 27 Senate seats, Telegrafi reports. Only five candidates managed to secur…
Czech PM Babiš's ANO faces stiff test in Senate election
“Five senators were elected in the first round, equalling the historic record set in 2024,” Eva Krumpová, first deputy chair of the Czech Statistics Office, said. Of the five candidates to win seats outright, none were from the ANO.
The liberal and conservative opposition in the Czech Republic achieved a surprising success in yesterday's elections for the Senate, the upper house of the Czech parliament.
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