Czech news in brief for September 22: Sunday's top headlines

Czech President Petr Pavel will prioritize support for Ukraine, UN reform, and efforts for Czechia's non-permanent UN Security Council membership during his week-long visit to the U.S. He will attend the UN General Assembly from September 23 to 25, alongside Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský. Pavel aims to encourage hesitant states regarding their stance on the Ukraine conflict and plans to meet with top UN officials. He will also visit Chicago and Cedar Rapids, focusing on Czech-Slovak relations and local expatriates.

Economic analysts suggest that the regional and Senate election outcomes, favoring the opposition ANO party, will diminish the government's motivation to stabilize the state budget. With ANO winning in ten of the 13 regions, analysts expect potential fiscal irresponsibility in the Senate if ANO gains further influence. The analysts predict increased spending in regions led by ANO, particularly in local transportation and healthcare, potentially without addressing underlying issues.

Meteorologists have eased flood warnings across much of the Czech Republic as water levels slowly decline, particularly in southern Bohemia. Currently, flood alerts remain in only a few areas, with 11 sites reporting elevated water levels. Following heavy rains since Sept.12, the Moravian-Silesian region suffered significant damage, with five confirmed fatalities. While weather conditions have been sunny, forecasts predict rain returning next week, which may impact water levels again.

Following a disappointing performance in the regional elections, the leadership of the Czech Green Party has resigned. The party secured only one mandate out of seven previously held in regional councils. Co-chair Magdalena Davis announced the resignation and accepted full responsibility for the outcome, citing a lack of success in coalitions. A new leadership will be elected at the party congress on Nov. 2, as Davis reaffirmed the party's commitment to its green agenda.

Analysts expect the Czech National Bank to lower the base interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25 percent at its upcoming meeting. Despite differing opinions on the pace of monetary easing, most analysts agree that economic conditions warrant a reduction. Key factors include subdued inflation and weak domestic economic performance, particularly in the industrial sector. Expectations of a cautious approach by the bank's board suggest a gradual easing of monetary policy ahead.

The autumn equinox will occur today at 2:43 p.m. in the Czech Republic, signaling the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun will transition from Virgo to Libra, illuminating both hemispheres evenly, resulting in equal day and night lengths. Nights will lengthen until the winter solstice on Dec. 21. Meteorologists consider the first day of autumn to be September 1, but the equinox occurs yearly between Sept. 21 and 24.

The opposition party ANO won 292 seats in the Czech regional elections, the most of any party by a wide margin. The Civic Democrats gained 106 seats, while the Mayors and Independents secured 73. The Pirates, another ruling party, only managed to win three seats. Voter turnout was 32.9 percent, possibly affected by the devastating floods in some regions earlier this week.

The last giant mining machine in Mostecko could be turned into a tourist attraction, pending approval from the new leadership of the Ústí Region. A feasibility study and rescue plan for the RK 5000 excavator have been prepared, with estimated costs of CZK 120–160 million. The region plans to fund the project through the Just Transition Fund. The machine, which weighs 5,500 tons, was decommissioned in 2016.

In the Czech Senate elections, the opposition movement ANO won two senatorial seats outright in the first round, with Jana Mračková Vildumetzová and Martin Bednář securing victories in their respective districts. ANO will be represented in 19 other districts in the second round. In total, 22 out of 27 districts will hold a second round next weekend, as no candidate achieved a majority in those areas.

In this year's Senate elections, the Pirates faced the most significant defeat among the ruling parties, failing to advance any candidates to the finals. Their only hope remains former presidential candidate Marek Hilšer, who still needs to secure re-election in Prague 2. Pirate Senator Lukáš Wagenknecht narrowly missed re-election by just 78 votes. After this weekend's first round of voting, ODS will not retain ten Senate seats won in 2018, while ANO gained two new senators.