PRAGUE — Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s political movement held a lead Saturday in the first round of Czech Senate elections, positioning his party to advance the most candidates to next week’s runoff votes.
With over 93% of polling stations reporting, the centrist ANO movement could send 13 candidates into the second round — the highest number of any party. Twenty-seven seats in the 81-member upper chamber are contested in this cycle.
ANO aims to gain ground in a Senate currently controlled by pro-Western opposition parties. Preliminary results from the Czech Statistics Office indicate up to six candidates may secure outright victories by surpassing the 50% threshold, none affiliated with ANO. The remaining 21 seats will be decided in runoffs between the top two finishers in each district.
While the lower house drives most legislation, the Senate holds key powers over constitutional amendments and the appointment of Constitutional Court judges.
In concurrent local elections, independent candidates and groupings appeared poised to capture most seats nationwide, consistent with historical trends. ANO led in several regional capitals but not in Prague.
The vote represents the first electoral test for Babiš since his return to power following a decisive parliamentary victory in October 2025.
Babiš has since formed a governing coalition with two smaller parties advocating reduced support for Ukraine and opposition to certain European Union policies.
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