Margita Balaštíková announces Senate candidacy with new party

Former Czech MP and shadow agriculture minister Margita Balaštíková has announced her candidacy for the Senate in the 2026 elections. Representing her newly formed group, Odvážné Česko, she will run in district 81–Uherské Hradiště.

Balaštíková’s political career with the ANO movement ended following a controversy involving leaked recordings from 2023. The recordings, captured by her then-husband Josef Balaštík, allegedly detailed plans to use regional hygiene authorities to target a company where he served as executive, as well as discussions regarding a dog belonging to his new partner. While forensic experts confirmed the authenticity of the recordings, Balaštíková has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as manipulation.

Following the scandal, ANO leader Andrej Babiš removed her from the party's candidate list for the 2025 parliamentary elections. Balaštíková stated that returning to ANO is impossible due to the damage to her reputation, though she maintains professional contact with former colleagues regarding agricultural expertise.