Babiš’s ANO leads Czech Senate vote, with runoffs ahead

The centrist ANO movement led by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš was ahead in the first round of voting for 27 of the Senate’s 81 seats.

With more than 93% of polling stations counted, 13 ANO candidates appeared likely to reach next week’s runoffs.

Up to six candidates could win outright by securing more than half the vote, but none was from ANO.

Most other seats are expected to be decided in runoffs between the top two candidates in each race.

The Senate is controlled by pro-Western opposition parties and has a role in approving constitutional changes and Constitutional Court judges, though the lower house has greater power over legislation.

This is the first electoral test for Babiš since he returned to power after his coalition won the parliamentary election in October 2025.

His coalition includes two smaller groups that support reducing aid to Ukraine and rejecting some EU policies.