Czech Opposition Surges in Senate, Local Votes as Coalition Slips
Political scientists reportedly told the national news agency the outcome amounted to an achievement for both parties. They said the Christian Democrats’ showing owed much to party figure Jan Grolich, who won his Senate seat outright in the first round. The Civic Democrats, the biggest opposition party in the lower house, performed poorly.
The three governing parties, ANO, Freedom and Direct Democracy and the Motorists, also had cause for disappointment. ANO leader Andrej Babis reportedly maintained that the results showed his party is still the country’s strongest political force.
Five Senate winners without a runoff
Five candidates cleared the 50% threshold in Saturday’s Senate vote and secured seats without a runoff next weekend: Grolich of the Christian Democrats, Jan Grulich of TOP 09, Jan Sobotka of the Mayors and Independents, Tomas Fiala of Our Czechia, and Zbynek Linhart of the Mayors and Independents, who won by a wide margin.
With roughly 90% of votes counted, the Mayors and Independents and ANO each placed 13 candidates in the second round for the one-third of the Senate’s 81 seats that were up for election. The Civic Democrats advanced nine.
Christian Democrats lead local races
In the municipal elections, the Christian Democrats were the most successful party, with nearly 2,000 councillors elected, the broadcaster reported. The Mayors and Independents, ANO and the Civic Democrats followed, in that order. National turnout was reported at 47%.
In Prague, the Mayors and Independents took first place with 23% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Together for Prague, an alliance of the Civic Democrats and TOP 09, which won 22%. Prague Together was third with 18%, and ANO fourth with 14%.
Petr Hlavacek, the Mayors and Independents’ electoral leader in the capital, ruled out a city government with ANO. He said his party would open talks in the coming days with Together for Prague, Prague Together and the Pirates.
ANO finished first in six of 13 regional capitals.
The municipal picture should become clearer once local governing coalitions take shape, while the Senate’s final makeup will be settled in next weekend’s runoff. Nearly 190,000 candidates competed for about 62,000 local council seats, and 154 candidates contested 27 seats in the upper house.
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