Populist billionaire Andrej Babis’s party set to win Czech election

With astir votes tallied, Babis’s ANO enactment is ahead, but it appears acceptable to autumn abbreviated of a bulk successful parliament.

Billionaire Andrej Babis’s populist ANO enactment has taken a commanding pb successful the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election, but is connected way to autumn abbreviated of a majority.

With ballots from much than 97 percent of polling stations counted connected Saturday, ANO had 35 percent of the vote, according to the Czech Statistical Office. Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right Spolu (Together) confederation trailed with 23 percent.

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Shortly aft the preliminary results were announced, Fiala conceded decision and offered congratulations to Babis.

Turnout reached 68 percent, the highest since 1998, with much than 4,400 candidates and 26 parties competing for seats successful the 200-member little house.

President Petr Pavel, who holds the powerfulness to name the adjacent premier minister, is expected to unfastened conjugation talks with enactment leaders connected Sunday erstwhile results are finalised. Officials person warned that the rollout of mail-in voting could dilatory the authoritative confirmation.

Despite the beardown showing, the nonaccomplishment to unafraid a bulk means Babis cannot regularisation alone. Early signs suggest ANO whitethorn question backing from the Motorists, a enactment opposing European Union greenish policies, and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), which has campaigned against some NATO and the EU.

Leader of ANO enactment Andrej Babis speaks during a quality league aft the preliminary results of the parliamentary election, astatine the party’s predetermination office successful Prague, Czech Republic, October 4, 2025 [Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters]

SPD lawman person Radim Fiala told Czech tv the enactment was acceptable to assistance topple the government. “We went into the predetermination with the purpose of ending the authorities of Petr Fiala and enactment adjacent for a number furniture of ANO is important for america and it would conscionable the people we had for this election,” helium said.

The partial results showed fringe pro-Russian parties underperforming. SPD managed 8 percent, portion the far-left Stacilo! movement, centred connected the Communist Party, failed to wide the 5 percent threshold to participate parliament.

Babis, who led a centre-left authorities from 2017 to 2021, has shifted sharply to the close successful caller years. Once supportive of adopting the euro, helium present brands himself a eurosceptic and admirer of US President Donald Trump, adjacent handing retired “Strong Czechia” shot caps styled aft Trump’s MAGA slogan.

He has besides forged adjacent ties with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and aligned with far-right forces successful the European Parliament.

While resisting SPD’s telephone for a referendum connected leaving the EU and NATO, Babis has promised to extremity Prague’s arms procurement inaugural for Ukraine, insisting subject assistance should beryllium managed straight by NATO and the EU.