Political analyst Ihor Reyterovych on the Kluchok Time channel analyzes the outcomes of the Czech parliamentary elections and their implications for Ukraine. The right-wing populist ANO party, led by former Prime Minister and oligarch Andrej Babiš, won with nearly 35% of the vote. Babiš is known for his skepticism towards certain EU initiatives and has an ambiguous stance regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
Babiš opposes the Czech artillery initiative to help Ukraine, arguing that NATO—not individual countries—should be responsible. He does not advocate a complete halt to military support for Ukraine but often highlights financial aspects of such aid. He is allied with Donald Trump, and maintains good relations with the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia.
After the elections, ANO may seek a coalition with the Motorists' Party or far-right factions, but these alliances may still fall short of a majority. An alternative could be a minority government. Meanwhile, the pro-Ukrainian opposition remains strong, and the Czech President, known for pro-Ukrainian support, retains influence over the appointment of the prime minister.
Reyterovych points out that any coalition formed by Babiš would be unstable and ideologically incoherent. If the new government fails to meet public expectations, support for populists could quickly decline. The analyst predicts that Czech policy toward Ukraine is likely to resemble the more moderate Slovak approach, rather than Hungary’s.
The expert emphasizes the importance for Ukraine of maintaining communication with all potential Czech political players. It is advised to keep close ties both with the current and any future government as the situation remains fluid.
