Babiš admits that for the first time in years he won't have time for the election campaign

ANO leader Andrej Babiš has said that this year, unlike in previous years, he will barely have any time to personally take part in the campaign ahead of October's Senate and local elections. The reason is his work on the state budget, discussions over which will peak in September.

"I'll support some Senate candidates or particular districts, but we genuinely don't have much time, because work on the budget wraps up in September. So within the realm of possibility — if I can, I definitely will," Babiš told Novinky when asked about his personal involvement in the campaign.

How ANO ran campaigns in the past

Over the past four years, while ANO was in opposition, Babiš threw himself into promoting the movement almost without pause — not only in the Chamber of Deputies elections, where he ran himself, but also in the European, regional and Senate elections. He toured the regions, met with voters, handed out leaflets and was highly active on social media.

That effort paid off with a European election win of seven mandates and victories in 10 out of 13 regions. The only setback came in the two-round Senate elections, where in 2024 ANO secured just eight of the 27 seats up for grabs.

This year, instead of Babiš, it is the chair of ANO's Senate caucus, Jana Mračková Vildumetzová, who is leading the push for candidates — she herself won outright in the first round two years ago. She says she has already met with several candidates and is sharing updates on social media.

Kupka is touring the regions by bicycle

Opposition parties have been criticized in recent years for insufficient contact with voters, but now they have more time to campaign. ODS chairman Martin Kupka intends to make the most of it. He began touring the regions right after being elected party leader in January, and this summer he decided to visit some towns by bicycle together with local municipal politicians.

"We're not staying home this summer. We're getting on our bikes and coming to you — to hear what's worrying you, what you're pleased about in your area, and what you'd like to see improved," reads the party's campaign page, dubbed "ODS jede" ("ODS is riding").

According to ODS spokesperson Mariana Vernerová, since being elected chairman Kupka has visited 39 businesses, taken part in 46 discussions and toured 26 regions. He has already cycled around 300 kilometers, and that's far from the limit — the main phase of the campaign only kicks off in late August.

The STAN party is also banking on its leader's personal involvement. Chairman Vít Rakušan said he will travel across the whole of Czechia during the campaign to support municipal and Senate candidates, with the first meetings with voters starting as early as August.

Read also: 9 best bike routes around Prague: from the Vltava embankments to Karlštejn Castle

Source: novinky.cz