SPD suffers major setbacks in municipal elections across multiple regional capitals

SPD, which celebrated sweeping victories in the 2022 municipal polls, now finds itself absent from the councils of seven regional capitals. Its support collapsed in Ostrava, where it fell from twelve percent and seven seats to a single-digit share and no representation. Similar declines occurred in Olomouc, Zlín, and Karlovy Vary, each losing multiple seats.

In Ústí nad Labem, SPD entered a wide coalition with Motoristi, Přísaha and Trikolora, barely surpassing the five-percent barrier and retaining only two councilors, far fewer than the five it held previously. The party also slipped in Jihlava, Pardubice, Prague and Brno, dropping below previous vote shares and losing at least one seat in each city. Party leaders, including chairman Tomio Okamura and spokespersons Radim Fiala and Milan Urban, acknowledged the disappointing results and promised to analyse the causes and adjust strategy for future contests.