Pro-Western opposition wins big in Czech Senate election, dealing a blow to populist PM Babiš

PRAGUE (AP) — The pro-Western opposition parties won big Saturday in the Czech Republic’s vote to fill one-third of the seats in Parliament’s upper house, the Senate, handing a blow to the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

With almost all the votes from the two-day ballot counted by the Statistics Office, the centrist ANO (or YES) movement led by the populist billionaire failed to win a single seat.

A total of 27 seats from the 81-seat Senate were up for grabs in the two-round election. The opposition retained its control of the upper house. The candidates directly linked to the opposition parties won 22 seats. ANO had had only one of the seats previously, but lost even that.

Parliament’s lower house dominates the legislative process, but the Senate plays an important role in passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges.

The elections are the first test for Babiš since he returned to power after a decisive victory in parliamentary elections in October 2025.

Babiš has formed a governing coalition with two small political groups whose agenda includes reducing support for Ukraine and rejecting some key European Union policies.

His coalition partners also ended up empty-handed in the ballot.

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks with the media as he arrives for the EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his wife Monika arrive to cast their votes during senate and local elections in Pruhonice, Czech Republic, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives for the EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Trudy moved toward Mexico’s southwestern and west-central Pacific coast and could strengthen through Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Trudy’s center was expected to approach the coast on Saturday and pass near it into Sunday. A hurricane warning was in effect from Manzanillo in Colima state to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco.

The latest NHC data showed the Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph) and was about 265 miles (425 kilometers) west of Acapulco in Guerrero state and 170 miles (270 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo, moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

The Mexican navy urged mariners and coastal residents to exercise extreme caution because of high waves, heavy rain and the risk of rising rivers, flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.

Colima authorities said the risks remained low, but warned that heavy rainfall could cause damage because the ground was already saturated by successive storms along the Pacific coast.

Trudy was expected to bring 4-8 inches (10-20 centimeters) of rain through the weekend, with isolated totals of around 15 inches (38 centimeters).

Also in the Pacific, Typhoon Champi strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it moved west toward Guam at 11 mph (18 kph). Maximum sustained winds increased to 135 mph (217 kph), according to the U.S. Weather Service.

Champi was forecast to pass just south of Guam. A typhoon warning was issued for Guam and Rota, with a tropical storm warning for Tinian, Saipan and nearby areas.

This GOES-19 GeoColor satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and taken on Thursday, Oct. 15 2026, shows Hurricane Trudy in the Pacific. (NOAA via AP)