The recording of the panel discussion titled “Bohemia Illiberalis? Perspectives on Czechia’s Future Democratic Landscape and Foreign Policy After the Elections” organized on October 6, 2025 is now available on AUTHLIB’s YouTube channel.
Czechia held parliamentary elections on October 3–4. There was a high likelihood that they would lead to the return of former prime minister Andrej Babiš and his populist ANO party to power in a coalition with radical-right or radical-left forces. Such an outcome could profoundly affect not only the democratic quality of Czech politics, but also the country’s stance on key questions of foreign and security policy, ranging from defense spending to support for Ukraine. Czechia’s partners should therefore prepare not only for the presence of a second government from the ranks of the radical-right Patriot group (after Hungary’s) in the EU Council, but also for heightened volatility and growing Euroscepticism in Czech foreign policy.
This panel discussion, convened in the immediate aftermath of the elections and in light of the first official results, examined the potential implications of a Babiš comeback and different coalition scenarios. It explored their impact on Czech foreign and security policy, the country’s approach toward Ukraine and Russia, and the broader state of democratic checks and balances, media freedom, and civil society there.
Speakers:
Vít Dostál, Executive Director, AMO
Petra Guasti, Associate Professor, Charles University Prague
Andrea Michalcová, Director, Centre for an Informed Society
Chair:
Daniel Hegedüs, Regional Director, German Marshall Fund of the United States
This event took place in the framework of the “AUTHLIB – Neo-authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response” project.
