Liberal Pirates Gaining On Babis' ANO Party Ahead Of Oct Election

The latest Czech opinion poll shows the liberal, pro-EU Pirates and Mayors alliance (PaS) just 2% behind the governing ANO of Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

• Czechia, SANEP poll: ANO: 27% (-1), PaS: 25% (new), Together (SPOLU): 19% (-1), Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD): 9% (+1), Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD): 6% (-1), Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM): 5%, Tricolour Citizens Movement (Trikolora): 3%. +/- vs. December. Fieldwork: 18-23 February 2021. Sample size: 1,927
• The election for the Chamber of Deputies is due to take place from 8-9 October. PM Babis' ANO currently govern in a minority coalition with the CSSD supported from outside by the KSCM. Based on recent polling it is unlikely that this gov't could be reformed after the election.
• The PaS electoral alliance is formed by the liberal Czech Pirate Party and the localist Mayors and Independents movement. SPOLU is a centre-right political alliance formed by the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Christian democrats (KDU-CSL), and TOP09.
• PaS has gained in popularity in recent months, with the Pirates initially boosted in 2019 by mass protests against Babis and his ownership of agribusiness giant Agrofert, numberous newspapers, and alleged links to the communist-era Czech secret police (denied by Babis).
• Based on current polling it looks likely that post-election, there will be a lengthy period of horse-trading with creating a workable majority coalition looking increasingly difficult due to the substantial politicsl differences between the various main parties/alliances.