Czech Republic: election rout for Babiš
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's ruling Ano party has suffered a crushing defeat in senatorial and regional elections in the Czech Republic. The party failed to retain a single Senate seat and has lost support across the country. The result comes as a blow to Babiš, who had campaigned on the strength of far-reaching election pledges. The Czech press discusses causes and consequences.
No paradise on Earth
According to Hospodářské noviny, Andrej Babiš and his political allies have failed because of unfulfilled election promises:
“Petrol prices? Mortgage rates? Tax rates? Budget cuts? Everything is a little different from what was promised. In principle, this is nothing unusual. ... But it's how much was promised that matters. If you promise not just minor improvements but paradise on Earth, you shouldn't be surprised if your supporters – pardon, voters – get angry when the improvements don't materialise right away. It's clear from all this that the person to blame for the Ano movement's crushing election defeat is Andrej Babiš. He decides everything. He defines the movement's policies. ... It was he who promised things he could not deliver.”
Not over till it's over
Echo24 says the election result is somewhat misleading:
“The loss of ground in regional capitals and Ano's failure to retain any Senate seats don't necessarily mean that the strongest governing party is losing support. Nor does they mean that Ano would now lose a general election. ... However, Ano and its coalition partners do face at least one major problem that could still escalate. It is becoming apparent that the people are genuinely concerned about the level of public debt. And that Andrej Babiš's government is, for the most part, taking out loans without good reason and squandering vast sums of money. ... When you fail to win in even a single one of the 27 constituencies, that is a defeat. There's no point kidding yourself, and Babiš has also made that quite clear.”