As the Czech parliamentary elections reshape Central Europe’s political map, European media are following developments in Prague closely.

Outlets in Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia describe the return of Andrej Babiš as a potential turning point that could redefine alliances and challenge Czechia’s current pro-Western orientation.

Hungary’s pro-government daily Magyar Nemzet, which supports Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, called Babiš’s victory a possible revival of the Visegrád Four’s influence.

“Babiš and Orbán have long shared views on migration, opposition to Brussels-style centralization, and resistance to Western war pressures,” the paper wrote, suggesting that a Babiš-led government could “reinvigorate patriotic cooperation” in the region.

By contrast, Hungary’s left-leaning Népszava wrote that the Czech Republic—until now seen as “an island of calm in turbulent Central Europe”—may be changing direction.

Under President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the country has been among Ukraine’s strongest European supporters. “But even here,” Népszava noted, “war fatigue is setting in.”

Polish Concerns Over Foreign Policy

Poland’s Rzeczpospolita questioned whether a Babiš government would “turn Czech foreign policy upside down and drift toward Moscow.”
It recalled that Babiš recently joined the far-right Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament—alongside Orbán and Marine Le Pen—but this time avoided repeating his 2023 campaign mistake, when he said he would not send troops to defend Poland if attacked by Russia.

Warsaw’s liberal Oko.press predicted that Babiš’s return could mean “strong rhetoric but little practical change.”

“No matter who governs, the Czech Republic has been stuck in the same political cycle for years,” the outlet wrote. Gazeta Wyborcza also called Babiš the “Czech Trump,” describing him as a “compromised politician whose comeback seems inevitable.”

Avoiding the ‘Slovak Way’

Slovakia’s Sme daily reported that one of the Czech campaign’s main themes was preventing the country from following “the Slovak way” under Robert Fico, who is often viewed as leaning toward Moscow. The paper noted how Interior Minister Vít Rakušan joined opposition protests in Bratislava to distance Czech politics from that direction.

BBC: Babiš Mirrors Trump

The BBC describes Andrej Babiš as a populist billionaire influenced by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. Babiš is likely to depend on support from radical parties after the election, making the Czech vote a test of stability for both the EU and NATO.

The broadcaster also points to growing concerns over pro-Russian influence, disinformation campaigns, and the potential impact on Czechia’s defense and pro-Western orientation.

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