He crashed out in 2021 surrounded by scandal, but in 2025 he’s back with a vengeance. The 3 and 4 October parliamentary elections in Czech Republic saw former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s ANO party come out on top with 34.51% of the vote (80 seats out of 200). Former Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right Together (SPOLU) coalition came second with just 23.36% (52 seats). The Mayors and Independents movement came third with 11.23% (22 seats). Once nicknamed the “Czech Berlusconi,” the billionaire who made his fortune in agribusiness lost his position as Prime Minister in 2021 after losing the last general election, undermined by the country’s economic situation and multiple scandals.
The ANO party now has to form a coalition government. Some observers already fear an alliance with the far right, which has seen a surge in popularity during Fiala’s term in office. Others believe that Babiš’s policies, which will be appreciated in Moscow, anti-environmental, anti-immigration and anti-civil society, could put Czech democracy itself at risk.
Receive the best of European journalism straight to your inbox every Thursday
