Monday, 17 August 2026Europe · Analysis
Independent · Brussels & Berlin
Person
President of the Czech Republic, Office of the President
ANO's deal with two far-right parties proposes replacing Czech Television and Czech Radio's licence-fee funding with direct state financing, a move critics say mirrors the playbook used by Orban and Fico to capture public broadcasters.
The billionaire's party took 34.5% and 80 seats but needs support from two right-wing fringe parties to govern, while President Pavel signals he will not appoint a cabinet before November.
ANO took 35 percent of the vote, a record for a single party, yet every other parliamentary force has ruled out coalition talks, leaving the president and a fraud verdict as decisive factors.
The billionaire former prime minister's ANO party topped Saturday's parliamentary vote, putting him in position to form a government that has pledged to halt military aid to Ukraine and review Czech artillery supplies.
Andrej Babiš's ANO party leads polls at 29 percent as Czechs vote Friday and Saturday, but coalition arithmetic and a pending fraud verdict complicate his path back to power.
Andrej Babiš's ANO party leads polls before the October vote, raising the prospect of a Eurosceptic coalition that could align Prague with Budapest and Bratislava on migration, climate policy and aid to Ukraine.
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