Czech PM Babis suffers setback in Senate elections

PRAGUE, Oct 17 (Reuters) – Leading Czech opposition parties won the most votes in Senate elections on Saturday, while Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ party failed to secure any of the seats it contested in one of its first big electoral tests since taking power last year.

Babis’ ANO party had hoped to make gains in the 81-seat upper house, where one-third of seats were up for election and opposition parties hold a majority.

Babis described the result as “catastrophic”, but the outcome is unlikely to destabilise his eurosceptic coalition government, which includes right-wing and far-right parties.

Since taking office, the government has ended direct state military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and challenged European Union climate policies.

The lower house remains the country’s main legislative chamber and can override Senate vetoes, limiting the upper chamber’s ability to block government legislation.

The Senate nevertheless plays an important role in approving constitutional changes, confirming presidential nominees to the Constitutional Court and electing its own speaker, the country’s second-highest state official after the president.

Despite the setback, ANO continues to lead national opinion polls.

The government has loosened fiscal policy to boost wages, pensions and transport investment, drawing criticism in the traditionally frugal country of 10.9 million people.

Turnout in run-off voting for Senate seats on Friday and Saturday was low, following the first round last weekend. Under the electoral system, the top two candidates advance to a run-off unless one secures more than 50% of the vote in the first round.

The pro-European Mayors and Independents party emerged as the strongest performer, winning 10 of the 14 seats it contested, including two secured outright in the first round. The Civic Democrats won seven seats.

The vote followed municipal elections last weekend in which ANO won six of the country’s 13 regional capitals, down from eight four years ago.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet. Editing by Mark Potter)