The key facts

  • Babis's coalition won none of the 27 Senate seats; the opposition retained its majority
  • ANO keeps 14 senators; Babis called the outcome 'catastrophic'
  • This is the first electoral test after ANO's victory in the parliamentary elections in October 2025

Opposition retains control of the Senate

The ruling coalition of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis won no seats in the Senate elections held on Saturday. According to the final results of the two-day vote, candidates linked to opposition parties won 22 of the 27 seats contested in the 81-seat upper chamber of parliament, preserving the previous opposition majority. This means the pro-Western opposition controls the chamber.

Babis's reaction

The centrist ANO ('YES') movement led by Babis gained no new seats and remains represented in the Senate by 14 deputies. Babis called the result 'catastrophic'. 'We certainly did not expect to win no seats in the Senate in these elections,' he said, but pledged to continue the government's agenda.

Context

The elections were the first electoral test for Babis after his victory in the parliamentary elections in October 2025, which returned him to power after a four-year break following his first term as prime minister. The government's agenda includes an unpopular plan to reform the funding of public broadcasters, whose risks Czech journalists have warned about. His Eurosceptic coalition has also ended direct military support for Ukraine and opposes EU policy on combating global warming. Although the lower chamber plays the main legislative role, the Senate is highly important for passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges.