Czech Opposition Gains Edge in Senate Elections

The centrist ANO movement, led by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, is facing a significant challenge from a united opposition in the first round of the country's Senate elections. While ANO has the most candidates advancing to the runoffs, opposition parties and groups combined have a larger number of contenders reaching the next stage.

Final results released Sunday show that 13 ANO candidates will compete in next week's runoffs for the 81-seat Senate, which is currently controlled by the opposition. In contrast, a coalition of pro-Western opposition parties has 26 candidates moving forward. Furthermore, of the five candidates who secured outright victory by exceeding the 50% threshold in the first round, none were from the ANO movement, while four represented opposition parties.

Twenty-seven Senate seats were up for election, with 22 seats to be decided in the runoffs between the top two finishers in each race. Although the lower house of Parliament dominates the legislative process, the Senate plays a crucial role in approving constitutional amendments and Constitutional Court judges.

In concurrent local elections, independent candidates and various groupings appeared to secure the majority of seats nationwide. ANO won in six regional capitals, a decrease from the 2022 vote, and did not win in Prague.

These elections represent the first electoral test for Babiš since his return to power following a decisive parliamentary election victory in October 2025. His current governing coalition, formed with two smaller parties, advocates for reduced support for Ukraine and a rejection of certain European Union policies. Notably, Babiš's coalition partners do not have any candidates in the Senate runoffs.