Czech Opposition Keeps Senate Control After Babiš Party Losses

Czech opposition parties retained control of the Senate after runoffs concluded October 17. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s ANO won none of 27 seats and lost the one it defended. STAN won 10, ODS 7, KDU-ČSL 3 and TOP09 2. Opposition-linked candidates took 22 seats. Turnout was about 21 percent. Five senators won outright in the October 9-10 first round, none from ANO. ANO’s Senate faction has 14 lawmakers. TOP09 Chairman Matej Ondrej Havel said: "To put it bluntly, the government completely botched these elections—an unbelievable debacle." Eva Krumpová of the Czech Statistical Office said the five first-round elections equaled the 2024 record. Babiš said ANO will analyze the losses but will press ahead, including overhauling public broadcaster financing. Winners included former General Staff chief Karel Řehka, sociologist Zdeněk Papoušek and theater director Petr Kazík. ANO returned to power after its October 2025 parliamentary win. Babiš governs with two smaller parties that favor reduced Ukraine support and oppose some EU policies. The government recently passed a civil service law critics say eases civil-servant dismissals. The lower-house balance is unchanged; the Senate remains able to delay bills and block constitutional changes.