Czech opposition parties retained control of the Senate after voting ended on October 17, 2026, while Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s ANO movement won none of the seats it contested, Reuters and AP reported. The result delivered an electoral setback to the governing coalition in Prague.
AP reported that candidates directly linked to opposition parties secured 22 of the 27 seats being renewed in the 81-member chamber. ANO’s coalition partners also won no seats. However, ANO still has 14 senators after the election; failure to win this time does not mean the party has disappeared from the upper house.
According to Reuters, the pro-European Mayors and Independents party won 10 of the 14 seats it contested, including two victories in the first round. The Civic Democrats secured seven. Runoffs took place on Friday and Saturday after the previous weekend’s opening round, with low turnout, Reuters reported.
The election tested Babiš after his return to power following the October 2025 parliamentary vote. Reuters reported that his government has stopped direct state military support for Ukraine and challenged EU climate policies. These positions form part of the political backdrop to the contest.
The result preserves an institutional role for the opposition without transferring control of the government. Reuters noted that the lower house dominates lawmaking and can override Senate vetoes. The upper chamber nevertheless matters for constitutional amendments and approval of presidential nominees to the Constitutional Court.
Babiš acknowledged a severe defeat and said ANO would examine the losses, according to AP. He nevertheless pledged to pursue the government’s programme, including changes to public broadcasting funding. The next question is how his coalition advances that agenda while the opposition retains its Senate majority.
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