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Prime Minister and Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka said the low turnout had reflected on the party’s performance in the elections. The Social Democrats defended 7 seats in the elections but only won four. Mr. Sobotka said his party has had a long term problem in convincing its supporters to vote in European elections and it was clear that the party’s sympathises had seen no reason to go to the polls. At the same time, the prime minister said he was pleased that all three ruling parties had won seats in the European Parliament and that according to his calculations 15 of the country’s 21 MEPs would be pro-European.

The state will pay out an overall 42.5 million crowns to parties who won at least one percent of the vote in elections to the European Parliament. The amount of public finances distributed will be much lower than expected due to the low voter turnout. ANO which got over over 244,000 votes will get 7.3 million crowns from state coffers, and TOP 09 which came second will also get over 7 million crowns. The Social Democrats who finished third will get 6.4 million. The state contribution amounts to 30 crowns per vote.

The ANO movement, headed by businessman turned politician Andrej Babiš, came first among Czech parties running in the European Parliamentary elections. ANO gained 16.12 percent of the vote, which translates into four mandates followed by the opposition right-wing TOP 09 which won 15.95 percent, likewise gaining four mandates and the Social Democrats of the ruling coalition came third with 14.17 percent, for which they will also get four seats. Another four parties passed the five percent threshold needed to win seats in the European Parliament: the Communists (10.98%), the Christian Democrats (9.95%), the Civic Democrats (7.67%) and the Free Citizens’ Party (5.24%).

In the Czech Republic, a record 38 parties and movements fielded 849 candidates for 21 seats in the 751-strong assembly. However there was a record low voter turnout - 18.2 percent of Czech voters cast their ballot in the European elections.

The ANO movement, headed by businessman turned politician Andrej Babiš, has come first among Czech parties running in the European Parliamentary election. In the Czech Republic, a record 38 parties and movements fielded 849 candidates for 21 seats in the 751-strong assembly. Several polls had indicated in days prior to the vote that ANO was the front-runner but one survey put centre-right opposition party TOP 09 in front.

The results were nevertheless close: ANO finished with 16.12 percent of the vote, which translates into four mandates and TOP 09 gained 15.95 percent, likewise four mandates.

The ruling coalition leaders, the Social Democrats, finished third with 14.17 percent. Another four parties passed the five percent threshold to make into the European Parliament: the Communists (10.98%), the Christian Democrats (9.95%), the Civic Democrats (7.67%) and the Free Citizens’ Party (5.24%).

Some of the successful candidates on the ballot who won seats include Pavel Telička (ANO), Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), Jan Keller (Social Democrats), Kateřina Konečná (Communist Party), and Michaela Šojdrová (Christian Democrats).