Czech PM Babis' ANO Movement Fails to Win Single Senate Seat in Major Blow
Prime Minister Andrej Babis' centrist ANO movement failed to capture a single seat in the Czech Senate, leaving the pro-Western opposition with a firm control of the upper house. Babis described the outcome as 'catastrophic' but vowed to continue his government's agenda.
The centrist ANO movement led by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis failed to win a single seat in the recent Senate elections. Final results from the two-day ballot showed that candidates directly linked to the opposition parties won 22 of the 27 seats up for grabs in the 81-member Senate, retaining a previous opposition majority.
The election on Saturday was the first electoral test for Babis after he won parliamentary elections in October 2025 that returned him to power after a break of four years. Babis called the result 'catastrophic,' stating that his team did not expect to fail to win a single Senate seat, but he vowed to nonetheless go ahead with his government's agenda.
Despite the loss, Babis's coalition remains focused on its legislative priorities, including an unpopular plan to revamp funding for the country’s public broadcasters. Although the lower house of the Czech parliament plays the main legislative role, the Senate retains significant power in passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges.
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- Populist Czech PM Babis goes empty-handed in Senate electionsDeutsche Welle · Primary source
- Populist Czech PM Babis goes empty-handed in Senate electionswww.msn.com
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The centrist ANO movement led by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis failed to win a single seat in the recent Senate elections.
confirmedFinal results from the two-day ballot showed that candidates directly linked to the opposition parties won 22 of the 27 seats up for grabs in the 81-member Senate, retaining a previous opposition majority.
confirmed