Czech Election 2025: Babis Wins Big, But Faces Coalition Talks

Election Results Overview

Czech voters went to the polls on October 3–4, 2025, to elect all 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies. Turnout reached 68.9 %, one of the highest levels in recent years.

ANO, led by Andrej Babis, won 34.5 % of the vote and 80 seats, improving on its previous result. The Spolu coalition of Prime Minister Petr Fiala finished second with 23.4 % and 52 seats.

Other parties that passed the 5 % threshold include:

• STAN (Mayors and Independents) – 11.2 %, 22 seats
• Pirates – 9.0 %, 18 seats
• Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) – 7.8 %, 15 seats
• Motorists (AUTO / Motoriste sobe) – 6.8 %, 13 seats

No party achieved the 101 seats needed for a majority, making coalition building essential for forming the next government.

Babis’s Political Comeback

After four years in opposition, Andrej Babis staged a remarkable return. A former prime minister (2017–2021), he campaigned on promises to cut living costs, tighten immigration, and rethink Czech commitments to EU and Ukraine policies.

His populist message resonated strongly in smaller towns and rural regions, while the current government coalition suffered significant losses in major cities.

Coalition Scenarios and Obstacles

Babis has stated he prefers a single-party government, but ANO’s 80 seats make that impossible. The most realistic option is a partnership with the SPD and Motorists, which together would reach 108 seats – just above the majority line.

Both partners, however, demand ministerial positions and share Eurosceptic and nationalist views, raising concerns about Czechia’s foreign policy direction.

President Petr Pavel has already indicated he may block any nominees who threaten the country’s pro-EU or pro-NATO stance, creating potential tension between the presidency and a Babis-led cabinet.

Legal and Institutional Pressures

Despite electoral success, Babis remains under legal and ethical scrutiny tied to past subsidy fraud investigations and conflicts of interest involving his Agrofert business empire. Analysts expect Czech institutional checks – including the Senate and Constitutional Court – to act as counterweights against any major policy shifts.

Prague 1 Referendum: Residents Vote for Order and Quiet

While national attention focused on Babis’s victory, residents of Prague 1 held a local referendum on issues directly affecting daily life in the city’s historic center.

Turnout was 45.15 %, meeting the legal threshold for validity. All seven questions received a strong majority in favor of “Yes”, making the results binding for the local council.

Main Outcomes

1. Ban on e-scooters: 79.9 % in favor (7,572 votes)
2. Restrictions on scooter operation and parking: 82.2 % (7,794 votes)
3. Limiting short-term rentals (Airbnb, etc.): 72.3 % (6,850 votes)
4. Measures against “alcohol tourism” and excessive noise: 77.0 % (7,302 votes)
5. Ban on alcohol sales in late-night shops after 22:00: 60.6 % (5,744 votes)
6. Regulation of loud outdoor music and modified engines: 70.2 % (6,656 votes)
7. Free 24/7 public toilets on both Vltava riverbanks: 82.6 % (7,832 votes)

The result sends a clear message from locals who are frustrated by uncontrolled nightlife, noisy tourism, and the chaos of rental scooters. Prague 1 officials will now work with the city and national authorities to implement new regulations in the coming months.

What It Means for Czechia and Europe

A potential Babis-led coalition could reshape Czechia’s foreign and domestic priorities. Though he calls himself “pro-EU”, his rhetoric often challenges Brussels on migration, energy, and sovereignty. His rise follows a regional trend of populist leaders in Hungary, Slovakia, and beyond, questioning EU direction while seeking stronger national control.

European partners and Czech institutions are expected to watch closely as coalition talks unfold.