(Al Jazeera Media Network) Billionaire Andrej Babis’s populist ANO party has taken a commanding lead in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election, but is on track to fall short of a majority.
With ballots from more than 97 percent of polling stations counted on Saturday, ANO had 35 percent of the vote, according to the Czech Statistical Office. Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right Spolu (Together) alliance trailed with 23 percent.
Shortly after the preliminary results were announced, Fiala conceded defeat and offered congratulations to Babis.
Turnout reached 68 percent, the highest since 1998, with more than 4,400 candidates and 26 parties competing for seats in the 200-member lower house.
President Petr Pavel, who holds the power to appoint the next prime minister, is expected to open coalition talks with party leaders on Sunday once results are finalised. Officials have warned that the rollout of mail-in voting could slow the official confirmation.
Despite the strong showing, the failure to secure a majority means Babis cannot rule alone. Early signs suggest ANO may seek backing from the Motorists, a party opposing European Union green policies, and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), which has campaigned against NATO and the EU.
The partial results showed fringe pro-Russian parties underperforming. SPD managed 8 percent, while the far-left Stacilo! movement, centred on the Communist Party, failed to clear the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament.
Babis, who led a centre-left government from 2017 to 2021, has shifted sharply to the right in recent years. Once supportive of adopting the euro, he now brands himself a eurosceptic and admirer of US President Donald Trump, even handing out “Strong Czechia” baseball caps styled after Trump’s MAGA slogan.
While resisting SPD’s call for a referendum on leaving the EU and NATO, Babis has promised to end Prague’s arms procurement initiative for Ukraine, insisting military aid should be managed directly by NATO and the EU.