Andrej Babiš, the 71-year-old billionaire and leader of the ANO (Akce nespokojených občanů – “Action of Dissatisfied Citizens”) movement, has won the Czech parliamentary elections with 34.5% of the vote. The election, held over two days on October 3–4, marks a comeback for Babiš, who previously served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021.
The five-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala suffered a heavy defeat, with voters appearing to punish it for economic challenges and internal divisions. Turnout reached 68% — the highest since 1998 — reflecting intense public engagement.
Despite his victory, Babiš faces a difficult path to forming a government, as most parties have ruled out cooperating with him. He has signalled a preference for a minority administration led by ANO, supported by right-wing groups such as the SPD and the Motorists.
“We will lead talks with the SPD and Motorists and strive for a single-party government led by the ANO movement,” Babiš said after the election.
Further details on the results and consequences of the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic on Politico EU and Reflex (CZ).
