Czech opposition wins Senate races as Babis’ party takes 0 seats
Why it matters: The upper house cannot topple the government, but it can block constitutional changes and confirm top court nominees.
Czech opposition parties captured the most votes in Senate runoffs, while Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ ANO party failed to win any of the 14 seats it contested. The pro-European Mayors and Independents party was the strongest performer, taking 10 seats, including two won outright in the first round, while the Civic Democrats won seven. Babis called the result “catastrophic,” but the loss is not expected to destabilize his coalition government because the lower house remains the main legislative chamber and can override Senate vetoes. The Senate still holds sway over constitutional amendments, Constitutional Court nominations and the choice of its speaker.