Czech Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka says he expects tough talks with other parties on forming a minority or coalition government after winning less of a parliamentary election vote than expected.
The left-leaning Social Democrat party won 20.5% of the vote but but does not have enough to govern alone.
Anti-graft movement ANO, formed just two years ago and languishing in opinion polls until late in the election campaign, was second placed with nearly 19% of the vote.
The party's leader, Slovak-born billionaire businessman Andrej Babis, says he can't see it giving its support to a government led by the Social Democrats.
The previous coalition collapsed in June amid a scandal over illegal surveillance and corruption allegations, forcing an early election.
Since then the republic has been governed by a caretaker cabinet of technocrats.