The 2025 Czech parliamentary election

The 2025 election to the Czech Chamber of Deputies marked a continuation of long-term transformations rather than a rupture in the country’s political development. The contest reaffirmed the electoral dominance of ANO, led by Andrej Babiš, against a fragmented bloc of centre-right and liberal parties that governed between 2021 and 2025, while further consolidating the decline of the traditional left. The campaign was strongly shaped by culture wars, particularly around the war in Ukraine, foreign policy orientation (mainly politics towards other Visegrad countries, the EU and US), and identity-based issues, overshadowing programmatic economic debates. The results reflected pronounced regional and socio-demographic divides, with ANO mobilising support in economically weaker regions and among older and less-educated voters. Post-election coalition formation led to the inclusion of a far-right party in government for the first time in Czech history, alongside tensions within the semi-presidential system. While institutional safeguards remain, increasing personalisation and culture war dynamics pose challenges to the resilience of Czech democracy.