Richard Vereš leads the next mayor market at 96.5% following ANO's victory in Ostrava's October 2026 municipal elections, where the movement secured 18 seats in the 55-member council. ANO then formed a stable coalition with Starostové pro Ostravu and Ostravak, delivering 37 votes and enabling a signed agreement on October 22 that designates Vereš as primátor. His prior role as mayor of Slezská Ostrava and focus on fiscal restraint, including reducing the number of paid council positions, supported the negotiations after Motoristé were excluded over demands for additional posts. The council's constitutive session is scheduled for early November. A breakdown in the coalition or unexpected defections ahead of the formal vote represent the main remaining variables that could alter the outcome.