Babis's ANO Party Wins Czech Election but Falls Short of Majority, Sparking C...

Billionaire Andrej Babiš and his ANO party have claimed victory in the Czech Republic's parliamentary elections held on Friday and Saturday, marking a significant political comeback for the former prime minister. According to preliminary results from the Czech statistics office with nearly all votes counted, ANO secured approximately 34.5% of the vote. This decisive win places Babiš, who served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, in a prime position to lead the next government.

However, the victory is incomplete, as ANO fell short of an overall majority in the 200-seat lower house of parliament, winning a projected 80 seats. This outcome prevents Babiš from governing alone and initiates a complex period of coalition negotiations to form a stable government.

The election, which saw a high voter turnout of nearly 69%, reshapes the Czech political landscape. The ruling center-right SPOLU (Together) coalition, led by outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala, finished a distant second with around 23.3% of the vote, translating to 52 seats. Fiala has conceded defeat and congratulated Babiš on the victory.

Other parties that successfully crossed the 5% threshold to enter parliament include the Mayors and Independents (STAN) with about 11.2%, the Pirate Party with 8.9%, the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) with 7.8%, and the newly-emerged populist Motorists for Themselves party with 6.8%. The left-wing Stačilo! (Enough!) movement failed to secure representation.

Babiš hailed the result as the "absolute peak" of his political career and promised to form a government that will "really work hard."

The path to forming a government is fraught with challenges for Babiš. Mainstream parties, including those in the outgoing SPOLU coalition, have ruled out forming a government with ANO. This forces Babiš to look towards the political fringes for support.

He has already initiated talks with the far-right, anti-NATO SPD party and the right-wing Motorists. Together, these three parties would command a 108-seat majority in the 200-seat chamber. However, any potential alliance is complicated by ideological differences and the stated positions of Czech President Petr Pavel, a political rival of Babiš who defeated him in the 2023 presidential election.

President Pavel, who is constitutionally responsible for appointing the prime minister, has previously stated he would not appoint ministers who advocate for leaving the EU or NATO, a key platform of the SPD. This sets the stage for a tense political maneuvering as Babiš attempts to build a functional ruling coalition.

• Background on Andrej Babiš and ANO: Andrej Babiš is a billionaire businessman who founded the Agrofert conglomerate and entered politics in 2011 with his party, ANO (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens). Often described as a populist and the "Czech Donald Trump," he served as Finance Minister and later as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021.
• His political career has been marked by numerous controversies, including allegations of EU subsidy fraud related to his "Stork's Nest" farm and conflicts of interest tied to his vast business empire. Despite these scandals, he remains one of the country's most popular politicians, campaigning on an anti-establishment and anti-corruption platform.
• Key Stakeholders and Their Positions: The main political forces are now ANO, the defeated SPOLU coalition, and potential kingmakers SPD and the Motorists. SPOLU and the Pirate Party have refused to cooperate with Babiš.
• The far-right SPD is anti-EU and anti-NATO, while the new Motorists party is a right-wing populist group opposing EU green policies. Both have signaled openness to talks with ANO. President Petr Pavel holds a crucial role, as he must appoint the new prime minister and has expressed his commitment to maintaining the Czech Republic's pro-Western orientation.
• The Challenge of Coalition Building: With 80 seats, ANO needs 21 more for a majority. The most direct path is an alliance with the SPD (15 seats) and the Motorists (13 seats), which would create a 108-seat majority.
• Babiš has stated he will lead talks with these two parties while seeking to form a single-party ANO minority government that would rely on their external support. This arrangement could be unstable, and President Pavel's refusal to appoint extremist ministers could block a formal coalition with the SPD.
• Implications for Foreign Policy and Ukraine: A Babiš-led government is expected to shift Czech foreign policy, potentially aligning more closely with the pro-Russian stances of Hungary's Viktor Orbán and Slovakia's Robert Fico.
• Babiš has been critical of military aid to Ukraine and has pledged to end the Czech-led initiative that has supplied artillery shells to Kyiv. He has also stated that Ukraine is "not ready" to join the EU. This marks a significant departure from the staunch support for Ukraine provided by the outgoing government of Petr Fiala.
• Economic and Social Platforms: During the campaign, Babiš's ANO party promised to fight the EU's migration pact and Green Deal, while also pledging higher wages, increased pensions, and lower taxes. The party's platform has been described as right-wing populist with social empathy.
• His agenda resonated with voters concerned about economic conditions and immigration, contributing to his victory.
• Timeline of Events: The parliamentary elections were held on October 3-4, 2025. Preliminary results showing ANO's victory were announced on Saturday, October 4. Outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala conceded defeat the same day.
• Babiš met with President Petr Pavel on Sunday, October 5, to begin discussions on forming a new government, a process the president indicated could extend into November.
• Potential Future Developments: The coming weeks will be dominated by intense negotiations. Babiš will attempt to secure a stable majority, likely by courting the SPD and the Motorists.
• President Pavel will play a key oversight role, potentially using his constitutional powers to influence the composition of the new cabinet to ensure it remains pro-Western. If Babiš fails to form a government, the country could face a period of political instability or even the possibility of another election.