BRUSSELS 

In the early count of the Czech parliamentary elections, populist billionaire Andrej Babis’s ANO Party is leading with 39.7% of the vote, according to preliminary data shared on Saturday.

According to Radio Prague International, with 5% of districts counted, the ANO Party is followed by the Spolu coalition with 19.2% and the Mayors and Independents (STAN) with 10.7%.

Other parties expected to enter the Chamber of Deputies include the SPD with 8.3%, Motorists Themselves 7.8%, and the Pirates 6.5%. The Stacilo! movement is just below the 5% threshold with 4.7%.

In the 2021 elections, the Spolu coalition narrowly defeated ANO by less than one percentage point, later forming a government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

Around 8 million voters cast their ballots on Friday and Saturday, with 26 parties and groupings competing for seats in the 200-member lower house, four more than in the last elections in 2021.

Many observers have called the election pivotal, as its results may expand the populist bloc in Central Europe, with polls favoring the right-wing populist ANO party, led by Babis. The Czech government emerges from the Chamber of Deputies.

ANO needs to secure more than 40% of the seats to govern, a prospect that seems unlikely. However, Babis, who pledged to keep the country out of the euro area if elected, also ruled out forming a coalition with ODS, the party of incumbent Fiala.

Polling stations closed at 2 pm (1200GMT) local time on Saturday.