Andrej Babiš, the leader of the ANO movement, has signaled a significant internal shake-up following a historic electoral defeat. For the first time since the party’s inception, ANO failed to secure a single mandate in the Senate elections, despite fielding 13 candidates in the second round, as reported by Seznam Zprávy.
The Collapse of Traditional Strongholds
The movement’s performance in municipal elections further underscored this decline; while ANO won in six out of 13 regional cities, it lost ground compared to four years ago when it held eight, notably surrendering its long-standing bastion in Ústí nad Labem to a broad coalition. In Litovel, Martin Škurek lost by more than 30 percent, a similar margin to the defeats of Lucie Baránková Vilamová in Ostrava and Jiří Vašica in Uherské Hradiště. Barbora Daňhová in Příbram lost by nearly 50 percent, while Andrea Brzobohatá in the Kolín region trailed by 46 percent.
The Moravskoslezský region, once an impenetrable fortress for Babiš—where he personally led the movement to 43 percent in last year’s parliamentary elections—faced a brutal reality check. Candidates in Ostrava and Karviná, including Lucie Baránková Vilamová, failed to secure seats. Karviná was particularly painful for the movement as it was the only district where ANO was defending a seat.
ANO, Motoristé a SPD: tři vládní strany, NULA mandátů v letošních senátních volbách. Totální debakl‼️Plná ústa silných slov, u voleb prázdné ruce. Voliči vám vystavili účet. Tohle je na rezignaci, pane Babiši!
Accountability and the Threat of “Purges”
Babiš’s frustration is not limited to Moravskoslezsko. In Ústí nad Labem, the movement’s defeat has been explicitly linked by the party chairman to the performance of former mayor Petr Nedvědický. Regarding Moravskoslezský, Babiš noted, Očekával bych, že budou mobilizovat, oni nemobilizovali,
and signaled that the party committee would conduct evaluations and potentially call extraordinary assemblies.
In the Liberec region, the political future of regional chairwoman and MP Jitka Volfová appears precarious. After losing her bid for both the Senate and her mayoral seat in Česká Lípa, Volfová faces the aftermath of a fractured local cell. The party’s leadership had previously dissolved the local branch due to internal disputes, leading to the formation of the “Lepší Liberec” project, which outperformed ANO in this year’s municipal vote. As reported by Aktuálně.cz, candidates in other regions, such as Sandra Tsoukernik on the Chebsk circuit, suffered significant margins of defeat, trailing their opponents by as much as 42 percent. First deputy Karel Havlíček acknowledged the decline, stating, Nesmíme podcenit, že jsme tam měli o něco horší skóre,
specifically mentioning Karlovy Vary, Zlín, and Ostrava.
Analytical Perspectives on the Leadership Crisis
Political scientist Michal Pink suggests that the current crisis reflects deeper systemic issues within the movement. In a commentary provided to Seznam Zprávy, Pink argues that in a traditionally established party, a leader facing such widespread losses would typically step down. He notes that Babiš’s aggressive stance toward his own ranks may be a symptom of a diminishing “personnel base,” as fewer prominent figures are willing to associate with the brand under current conditions. Questions also remain regarding the absence of former high-profile members like Martin Stropnický, Petr Vokřál, Robert Pelikán, or Ivan Pilný.
This sentiment is echoed by commentator Lenka Zlámalová, who noted via iROZHLAS that the movement’s failure to attract “interesting figures” and its recent political messaging—such as threats to cut funding to municipalities and banks—may have alienated core voters. When asked why STAN succeeded, Zlámalová remarked that they were chosen as the volbou takzvaného nejmenšího zla.
She also pointed out that shortly before the election, Babiš’s aide Tünde Bartha announced plans to fire 10 percent of state employees, a group that represents a large portion of Babiš’s voter base. The rise of the STAN movement, which secured 10 Senate mandates, suggests a shift in the political environment where voters are moving toward alternatives that, while ideologically broad, appear more appealing to the current electorate than the centralized, Babiš-led structure of ANO.
🔴 ANO shuts out in Czech Senate first round; runoffs set for nationalists vs. united oppositionFive senators won outright in the first round of Czech Senate voting, matching a 2024 record. None came from PM Andrej Babiš's ANO movement.Twenty-two seats advance to runoff… pic.twitter.com/4hlxbet52y
The Economic and Strategic Backdrop
The electoral setback arrives amidst a darkening economic climate. Reportér Magazín highlights that the government faces mounting pressure from accelerating inflation, which hit 2.5 percent in September, and rising energy costs exacerbated by geopolitical instability in the Hormuz Strait. With two recent polls—one from the agency Median and another from NMS—indicating a slide in support to below 30 percent, the party’s traditional reliance on Babiš’s personal appeal is being tested by the realities of governance and economic stagnation.
As the movement prepares for internal evaluations, the focus remains on whether these “extraordinary assemblies” will result in a genuine renewal or further fragmentation. Babiš’s public ultimatum—that those who do not work will be removed—sets a definitive deadline for local leaders to prove their utility before the party moves toward its next major political challenge. In other senatorial contests, David Smoljak of STAN secured a victory on Prague 9 with 78.73 percent of the vote, defeating Dagmar Pecková by over 10,000 votes, while Petr Paták of ODS won a tight race with 51.66 percent against 48.33 percent.
