Voters in the Czech Republic began voting for local elections today (Friday). In this election, local representatives and one-third of the country's Senate members will be elected.
Test of Andrej Babis's Popularity
This election is regarded as a test of popularity for Andrej Babis, the populist Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Babis came to power last December after forming a coalition with two small political groups. His party, ANO, won a majority in last year's parliamentary elections and was able to respond to the economic grievances of the people. He capitalized on public sentiment that believed the central right-wing government was spending excessively to support Ukraine.
Challenges Facing Babis's Government
However, Babis has also faced challenges. His opponents have criticized him for the increasing budget deficit that the government is facing. This deficit means that the government is spending more than its income. Earlier this month, he managed to survive a no-confidence vote in parliament.
Babis, 72, has established the "Patriots of Europe" group in the European Parliament in collaboration with former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other far-right parties.
More than 8 million eligible voters in over 6200 polling stations across the country are voting for city and county councils. The housing shortage, a major issue in large European cities, including Berlin and Madrid, is also a key concern for voters in the major cities of the Czech Republic.
In the Czech Senate, one-third of the seats are up for election, as this process occurs every two years. This vote will determine whether liberal and conservative opponents can maintain their majority in this chamber or whether the ruling parties and their allies will make gains.
Petr Pavel, the President of the Czech Republic, drew attention before the vote for announcing that he would not be able to cast his vote due to a private holiday outside Europe. His spokesperson said, "The President regrets the scheduling mistake."
