Czechs Going to the Polls: Eurosceptic Turn on the Horizon?

Voting began Friday, October 3rd in a two-day general election in the Czech Republic that could steer the country away from its strong support for Ukraine and turn back to a conservative outlook on the European Union.

Former prime minister Andrej Babiš is predicted to make a political comeback after being defeated in 2021 by a pro-EU coalition led by Petr Fiala. Opinion polls consistently put Babis’s sovereignist, Eurosceptic ANO (‘Yes’) movement ahead with around 31% support, compared to just 21% for Fiala’s Europhile Spolu (‘Together’) coalition. The right-wing, anti-immigration Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party is polling third at 13%. 

Should Babiš’s party emerge as the winner, but fall short of a majority, it could turn to potential allies such as the SPD or the Stačilo! movement, both of which oppose arms for Ukraine and want referendums on EU and NATO membership. Such a coalition would align Prague more closely with Viktor Orbán’s Hungary and Robert Fico’s Slovakia, bolstering the Visegrád bloc as a counterweight to Brussels.

In a televised debate with Petr Fiala on Wednesday, Babiš said ANO aims to form a majority government without coalition partners. Babiš rejected cooperation with Spolu and ruled out alliances with Communists.

Babiš, who previously governed from 2017 to 2021, has centered his campaign on promises of cheaper energy, lower taxes, and stronger pensions, while attacking Brussels over migration and climate policy. At a recent rally in Kralupy, he railed against “the green madmen, people’s party and socialists who do all they can to destroy Europe,” vowing to “win against regulations and snooping, green taxes that the EU comes up with.”

His criticism resonates with voters who feel the current government has prioritized Ukraine over domestic needs. A June poll found that 49% of Czechs believe the country is giving too much to Kyiv, compared with just 29% who said it was about right. Fiala’s government has sent weapons and coordinated an EU-backed ammunition supply scheme.

President Petr Pavel said today, after casting his vote in Prague, that there are “trenches” between the ruling coalition and the opposition parties, thereofre post-election negotiations will be difficult. He said he will meet party leaders starting Sunday, once results are clearer after the second day of voting on Saturday.

This is the first time Czech voters can use the new eDoklady digital ID system in an election. The Czech interior ministry, however, has warned voters not to rely exclusively on eDoklady to prove their identity at the polling stations, urging them to bring a traditional plastic ID card or passport. Glitches may arise from the fact that the digital ID must be refreshed within 48 hours before use, with some voters having reported being unable to update the app on their phones.  

Polling stations close on Saturday at noon local time, with results expected later in the day.