The centrist ANO party of billionaire businessman Andrej Babiš have scored
a resounding success in the Czech general elections, taking 29.6 percent of
the vote and coming first in all the country’s constituencies. The result
is considerably higher than the 18.65 percent the grouping received in the
last elections four years ago and leaves ANO on 78 seats.
Also enjoying major success have been the Czech Pirate Party, who were not
in the previous lower house but came in on 10.8 percent. The other big
winners were another newcomer to the Chamber of Deputies, the anti-migrant
Freedom and Direct Democracy party led by Tomio Okamura, who got 10.6
percent.
The traditional main right-wing party the Civic Democrats enjoyed a
resurrection after some fallow years, climbing from 7.7 percent in 2013 to
11.3 percent this time out. The Communists, who took 14.9 percent in 2013,
saw a falloff in support, picking up 7.8 percent.
The major losers on a dramatic day for Czech politics were the leaders of
the outgoing government the Social Democrats, who saw their support
nosedive from 20.45 percent in 2013 to 7.3 percent.
The Christian Democrats saw a slight decline, taking 5.8 percent, compared
to 6.8 last time out. TOP 09 and the Mayors group reached the five-percent
threshold for entrance to the lower house by the skin of their teeth, with
5.3 and 5.2 percent respectively. Turnout was 60.8 percent, a very slight
rise on the figure for 2013.