Czech Social Democrats (ČSSD) won a slim victory in parliamentary election and face a tough task forming a government. A tiny 2 percentage point outcome over the new Ano party of billionaire Andrej Babiš and the inability to get more than 25 percent of the vote were a huge disappointment for party leader Bohuslav Sobotka.
In third place was the Communists Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) with a strong showing that resulted in almost 15 percent of the vote.
The Civic Democratic Party (ODS), which has long dominated Czech politics, managed just 7.5 percent of the vote, a predictable outcome that pushes them to the fringes of Czech politics. The party’s downfall was largely due to the scandal that toppled the outgoing government.
The election result leaves the central European country of 10.5 million people facing the prospect of protracted political haggling and of another weak and unstable government just as the Czech economy emerges from a lengthy recession.
“If the lower house of parliament is fragmented, we will face tough negotiations on forming government,” said Sobotka. “The Social Democrats are prepared to take on this tough negotiation and we will try to form a reasonable, stable cabinet,” he said, adding he was ready to talk to all parties except the center-right parties who led the last government.

Election results
Social Democrats (ČSSD): 20.46%; 50 seats
Ano: 18.65%; 47 seats
Communists (KSČM): 14.91%; 33 seats
TOP 09: 11.99%; 26 seats
ODS: 7.72%; 16 seats
Dawn: 6.88%; 14 seats
Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL): 6.77%; 14 seats

From The Prague Post and Reuters