Czechs vote in runoff for Parliament's upper house seats

On Friday, Czechs participated in the second round of voting for a third of the seats in the Senate, which is the upper house of Parliament. The ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, currently holds a majority in the Senate. However, the main opposition group, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, advanced the most candidates to the runoff, with 19 candidates from his ANO party competing for 27 available seats. In the first round, five candidates secured their seats outright, leaving 22 seats to be contested in the runoffs. The Senate plays a crucial role in the legislative process, particularly in passing constitutional amendments and approving judges for the Constitutional Court. In addition to the Senate elections, the ANO party also performed well in regional elections, winning 10 out of 13 contested regions. This success indicates a growing influence of Babis's party in Czech politics. The ruling coalition faced challenges as well, particularly with the junior party, the Pirates, announcing their departure from the Cabinet. This decision followed Fiala's loss of trust in the Pirates' leader, Ivan Bartos, due to issues related to a new digital system for building permits. Despite these setbacks, Fiala's government is expected to maintain its majority in the lower house of Parliament, even without the Pirates' support. The results of the two-day Senate vote are anticipated to be announced later on Saturday, which will provide further insight into the political landscape in the Czech Republic. The outcome of these elections could significantly impact the ruling coalition's ability to govern effectively and address pressing issues facing the country.