Independents win most votes in municipal elections, strong showing by ANO party

Voting has ended in municipal elections and elections to a third of seats in the Czech Senate. Traditionally independent candidates have won the most votes followed by the ANO party. ANO will also challenge the ruling parties in the second round of elections to the Senate.

Independent candidates win lion’s share of votes in municipal elections

With over 75 percent of the votes in municipal elections counted, it is clear that independent candidates running alone and within various coalition groupings have won the lion’s share of votes.

Of the parties standing alone the ANO party presently has the strongest showing, followed by the Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats, Mayors and Independents, the Freedom and Direct Democracy Party, the Pirate Party and TOP 09.

However votes from the big cities, which are still coming in, may still significantly influence the outcome.

Turnout in the municipal elections was close to 50 percent.

Preliminary results indicate SPOLU coalition has highest gains in Prague

Early figures from Prague suggest that the SPOLU coalition has the highest gains in the Czech metropolis, followed by the Pirate Party, the ANO party and Praha Sobě. Patrik Nacher, ANO’s election leader in Prague, said his task would be to boost the party’s coalition potential in Prague and bring it out of isolation. SPOLU earlier stated its intention to try to form a coalition without ANO.

Second round of Senate elections to pit ANO against ruling parties

In the Senate elections, the ANO party has 18 candidates likely to advance to the second round, followed by the Civic Democrats who have first or second place in eight districts, and the Christian Democrats who have five candidates in a position to win a mandate.

In a small number of districts the Senate elections may be decided in this first round of the vote. Senator Ladislav Václavec from the ANO party has crossed the 50 percent vote margin in the Bruntál region, as has Christian Democrat candidate Petr Fiala in Ústí nad Orlicí. The Speaker of the Senate Miloš Vystrčil of the Civic Democrats has a chance of crossing the 50 percent vote margin in the first round in a contest against ANO’s Jana Nagyova.

The second round of voting in the Senate elections will be a standoff between candidates for the ruling coalition and the opposition ANO party. Regardless of the outcome, the ruling coalition will maintain its dominance in the Senate.

Voter turnout in the Senate elections was close to 45 percent, a record turnout in the country’s modern history.

Definitive election results expected on Sunday morning

The counting of votes will continue into the night hours with definitive results for both the municipal and Senate elections expected on Sunday morning.