The Czech parliamentary election brought a stronger than anticipated comeback for Andrej Babiš’ populist ANO. Having secured a clear plurality in the October 3–4 election—34.5 % of the vote, and with that, 80 out of the 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies—Babiš is now gauging his options. Yet his path to power is not without difficulties. If he can secure support for a government in a fragmented new parliament, he would become the second prime minister from the far-right EU group Patriots for Europe, alongside Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Although this would boost the image of illiberal forces in Europe, Babiš is not likely to implement a carbon copy of Orbán’s playbook during his second stint in government. His attempts to concentrate power will face domestic constraints and his appetite for conflict with Brussels will be curbed by his interest in drawing financial benefits from EU membership.
Czechia Is No Hungary | German Marshall Fund of the United States
