| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlament / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senat / Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 2 June 2006
3 June 2006 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the Chamber of Deputies on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
These were the first parliamentary elections since the country's accession to the European Union (EU) in May 2004.
After the last elections in June 2002
the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) formed a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's Party (KDU-CSL) and the Freedom Union-Democratic Union (US-DEU)
that controlled 101 seats in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies.
Close to 5
000 candidates and 26 political groups contested the 2006 elections. The pro-EU CSSD was led by Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek
who became Prime Minister in April 2005 after Mr. Stanislav Gross stepped down over allegations involving his personal finances. The CSSD formed an electoral coalition with the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM)
pledging to preserve a welfare state policy by raising pensions and the minimum wage
while aiming to introduce the euro as the national currency in 2010.
The Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
led by Mr. Mirek Topolanek
formed an electoral coalition with the KDU-CSL and the Greens (SZ). It favoured a more liberal economy while taking a more cautious approach to the euro. It pledged to introduce a flat 15 per cent rate for income tax and VAT and to abolish all other taxes.
Voting went off peacefully. Turnout was recorded at 64.47 per cent
higher than at the 2002 elections with 57.95 per cent.
The elections ended in political deadlock with both coalitions winning exactly 100 seats. The ODS
as the largest party with 81 seats
was given a mandate to form a government.
The newly-elected Chamber of Deputies held its first session on 27 June. However
it was adjourned on several occasions due to disputes over the election of its new speaker and amid ongoing discussions about the formation of a new government. After an agreement was reached between the ODS and the CSSD
Mr. Miloslav Vlcek (CSSD) was elected as the interim Speaker on 14 August
paving the way for Prime Minister Paroubek's government to resign on 16 August. On the same day
President Vaclav Klaus appointed the ODS leader
Mr. Topolanek
as the new Prime Minister. Mr. Topolanek subsequently formed an ODS-led minority government. However
on 4 October
his government failed to win a parliamentary vote of confidence.
Mr. Topolanek was named Prime Minister for a second time in November 2006. After months of negotiation
on 8 January 2007 he formed a new coalition government comprising the ODS
the KDU-CSL and the SZ
thus controlling 100 seats. On 19 January
the abstention of two CSSD parliamentarians enabled Mr. Topolanek to win a new vote of confidence by 100 votes to 97
ending nearly eight months of political stalemate. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 (from/to) | 2 June 2006
3 June 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
8'333'305
5'372'449 (64.47%)
23'473
5'348'976 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Civic Democratic Party (ODS) |
|
1'892'475 |
|
|
35.38 |
|
|
| Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) |
|
1'728'827 |
|
|
32.32 |
|
|
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) |
|
685'328 |
|
|
12.81 |
|
|
| Christian Democratic Union - Czech People's party (KDU - CSL) |
|
386'706 |
|
|
7.23 |
|
|
| Green Party (SZ) |
|
|
|
|
3.00 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Civic Democratic Party (ODS) |
81
|
|
|
|
|
| Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) |
74
|
|
|
|
|
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) |
26
|
|
|
|
|
| Christian Democratic Union - Czech People's party (KDU - CSL) |
13
|
|
|
|
|
| Green Party (SZ) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
169
31
15.50%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.volby.cz/pls/ps2006/ps?xjazyk=EN
- Chamber of Deputies (06.07.2006) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
