Andrej Babiš’s ANO movement has won the largest share of votes in the Czech Republic’s general election, finishing well ahead of Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s governing alliance but short of an outright majority.
With the count nearing completion on Saturday, ANO was tracking in the mid-to-high 30s by vote share, while the centre-right Spolu (“Together”) alliance was a distant second at roughly 20–23%. STAN (Mayors and Independents), Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), the Pirates and the Motorists list were all on course to enter the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies. The left-wing Stačilo! bloc was hovering below the 5% threshold. Official rolling tallies published by the Czech Statistical Office and live national media feeds showed ANO’s clear lead but no single-party path to 101 seats.
Polling stations closed at 14:00 CEST on 4 October after a two-day vote. Provisional participation was reported as higher than in 2021, with near-final figures indicating robust turnout. As counting progressed through Saturday evening, the order of the main lists stabilised, though late-reporting precincts and the performance of parties near the threshold remained capable of shifting the final seat split at the margins.
Attention now turns to coalition arithmetic. ANO has repeatedly ruled out governing with the current coalition parties and with the Pirates, narrowing its options. During the campaign and immediately after polls closed, discussion centred on whether Babiš could assemble a working arrangement with SPD and the Motorists; taken together, their combined strength may still fall short of a majority, depending on the final allocation of mandates. Stačilo!’s under-performance further reduces the pool of potential confidence votes from outside an ANO-led bloc. The upshot is that coalition talks are likely to be protracted and complex, with minority arrangements and confidence-and-supply scenarios on the table if a formal majority proves elusive.
The presidency is a material constraint on any eventual cabinet. President Petr Pavel has signalled that he would refuse to appoint ministers from parties advocating withdrawal from NATO or the EU, a position widely understood in Prague to limit participation by the most Eurosceptic forces even if they provide external parliamentary support. While the president is expected to mandate the leader of the winning party to attempt to form a government, his stance defines red lines for portfolio appointments, especially in security-related ministries.
Policy outlines from the campaign suggest continuity in core alliances alongside adjustments in domestic priorities. Babiš has said he does not seek to leave the EU or NATO, but he criticised elements of the outgoing government’s fiscal consolidation, energy policy and EU-level climate measures. Reuters’ and AP’s election coverage likewise frames ANO’s stance as a recalibration rather than a rupture, with emphasis on cost-of-living issues, industrial competitiveness and scepticism toward additional regulatory burdens. The detail will depend on coalition partners and the programme negotiated in the coming weeks.
For the governing parties, the outcome represents a setback but not necessarily exclusion from influence. Spolu’s constituent parties—ODS, KDU-ČSL and TOP 09—will retain significant representation and committee roles, while STAN and the Pirates return to the lower house on separate lists after running together in 2021. Depending on the final seat map, elements of the outgoing camp could become pivotal for budget votes or specific legislation even if they remain in opposition. Early commentary in Czech media also points to regional variation: ANO performed strongly across industrial regions, while Prague and several larger cities remained more competitive for liberal and centre-right lists.
Procedurally, the State Electoral Commission will certify the final results once 100% of precincts report, after which the president initiates government formation by nominating a prime minister-designate. Coalition agreements in Czech practice typically set out programme priorities, fiscal targets and personnel arrangements across ministries. If no bloc can assemble 101 votes for a confidence motion, a minority cabinet may seek ad-hoc support; recent precedent, however, favours negotiated coalitions for stability. Markets and partners will watch for the composition of the finance, industry and foreign affairs portfolios, which are the main levers for economic policy, energy, EU negotiations and trade.
Key points to watch as the final mandates are confirmed: first, whether parties clustered near 5% move sufficiently in late counting to alter the distribution of remainder seats; second, the combined tally for any ANO-aligned bloc vis-à-vis the 101-seat threshold; and third, the degree to which presidential red lines shape the ministerial slate. On current returns, the headline remains clear: ANO has secured a decisive plurality and the first attempt at forming a government, but it will need partners—and the terms of any partnership will determine how far the next cabinet can re-set policy.
Czech opposition ANO extends poll lead ahead of 3–4 October vote
