Prague, October 5(HS): Billionaire populist Andrej Babis secured a commanding victory in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections, with his ANO party capturing just under 35% of the vote and winning 80 seats in the 200-member lower house, according to preliminary results. Though short of an outright majority, the result marks a significant gain from 72 seats in the last election, positioning Babis as the likely leader to form the next government.
Babis, who previously served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, declared the outcome a historic success during a jubilant celebration at ANO’s Prague headquarters. Entering to the soundtrack of Ricchi e Poveri’s 1981 classic, he described the win as the pinnacle of his political career and pledged to make the Czech Republic the best place to live in the European Union.
To secure a governing majority, Babis is expected to initiate coalition talks with two right-wing, eurosceptic parties—Motorists for Themselves and the anti-immigrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) led by Tomio Okamura—both of which barely cleared the 5% threshold.
ANO and the Motorists group share strong opposition to EU climate targets and restrictions on petrol and diesel cars, while relations with SPD are complicated by their far-right allies and demands for referenda on EU and NATO membership, which Babis has ruled out.
As the campaign concluded, Babis leaned heavily into anti-Ukrainian rhetoric but distanced himself from calls by SPD to deport Ukrainian refugees en masse. He also promised to overhaul the Czech ammunition initiative that has supplied millions of shells to Ukraine, seeking to bring it under NATO control and accusing arms dealers of profiteering.
Responding to Western concerns about the Czech Republic’s future role in the EU and NATO, Babis dismissed such fears and reaffirmed his credentials as a reliable partner, referencing his own record during his previous premiership, which overlapped with President Trump’s first term in office.
Coalition negotiations are set to determine whether Babis’ ANO party can convert its plurality into stable government or whether deep ideological differences will complicate efforts to form a majority.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
