Jan Grolich tops first-round Senate vote count in historic 2026 Czech election

According to the Czech Statistical Office, Jan Grolich secured the greatest number of votes ever recorded for a Senate candidate in a first-round election, establishing a historic benchmark. He was followed by TOP 09 candidate Jan Grulich and former senator Jan Koukal, who occupies the third spot on the all-time list. The Vyškovsko contest featured just three contenders after long-time senator Karel Zitterbart shifted his campaign to Brno, where he now faces Zdeňek Papoušek of ODS in a runoff.

Grolich’s remaining rivals in Vyškovsko were Petra Absolonová of ANO and Jaroslav Fládr of Přísaha. He credited a light-hearted, humor-driven campaign for deflecting attacks and highlighted the significance of regional leaders influencing national politics. Grolich, who also serves as South Moravian governor and KDU-ČSL parliamentary leader, acknowledged the challenge of balancing his new Senate role with existing responsibilities.