Populist Babis Secures Victory in Czech Parliamentary Vote
(MENAFN) The Czech Republic’s opposition group ANO, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, has secured a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections, according to official results announced Saturday following the near-final vote tally.
With more than 99 percent of precincts tallied, ANO captured roughly 34.6 percent of the vote, while the incumbent center-right SPOLU coalition, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, came in second with 23.3 percent.
Other parties crossing the crucial 5 percent threshold included the Mayors and Independents (STAN) at 11.2 percent, the Pirate Party at 8.9 percent, the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) with about 7.8 percent, and the populist Motorists for Themselves at nearly 6.8 percent.
Reflecting on the results, Babis hailed the outcome as a pinnacle achievement in his political career. “We are extremely happy and we thank everyone who came to the polls,” he said, describing the performance as historic. He further emphasized, “A government will be formed that will really work hard, that someone will manage and that will fulfill the program from the first moment.”
Prime Minister Fiala, who also serves as chairman of the Civic Democratic Party within the Spolu alliance, publicly recognized the electoral outcome. “I congratulate the winner of the elections, which is Andrej Babis,” he stated.
Zdenek Hrib, leader of the Pirate Party, firmly rejected any coalition with ANO or the far-right SPD. “Under no circumstances” will his party join them in government, he said, suggesting instead a robust opposition role.
The newcomer Motorists for Themselves party secured sixth place in the parliament, positioning themselves as potential junior coalition partners. Their chairman, Petr Macinka, asserted, “We are the only truly right-wing party and we want to keep an eye on Babis.”
Meanwhile, Katerina Konecna, electoral leader of the Stacilo! Movement, confirmed her left-wing party failed to gain parliamentary seats. She expressed skepticism about a right-wing government’s ability to address public concerns but vowed, “We are not stopping. We are moving forward.”
The Czech Statistical Office reported a voter turnout of roughly 68.92 percent, marking the highest participation since 1998, when turnout reached 74 percent. This figure also surpasses the 2021 turnout, underscoring a renewed electoral engagement across the country.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
