By Rob Cameron, Prague Correspondent
Election Outcome
Billionaire businessman Andrej Babis has emerged victorious in the Czech parliamentary elections, despite his populist ANO party not securing an overall majority.
Election Results
The ANO party garnered nearly 35% of the vote, translating into 80 seats in the 200-seat lower house, an increase from 72 seats four years prior, according to preliminary results.
Coalition Talks Ahead
Having previously served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, Babis is expected to lead discussions on forming a new coalition.
Victory Celebrations
Upon arriving at the ANO headquarters, Babis celebrated with a Bluetooth speaker playing a remix of ‘Sarà perché ti amo’ by Ricchi e Poveri, much to the delight of enthusiastic supporters.
Forming a Government
Babis has initiated talks with two smaller right-wing eurosceptic parties that crossed the 5% threshold: the Motorists for Themselves and the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, led by Tomio Okamura. To achieve a parliamentary majority, he needs to forge an alliance with both.
Policy Challenges
While Babis expresses a desire for ANO to govern independently, potential tensions with the SPD may arise due to their differing stances on EU and NATO membership. Furthermore, Babis plans to alter Czech military support for Ukraine under his administration, having criticized the current ammunition initiative.
Assurances and Responses
He dismissed concerns regarding the Czech Republic’s reliability as an EU and NATO partner, emphasizing previous strong alliances during his initial term. Babis reassured that his government would maintain robust international relationships.
