CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Chamber of the People

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1990

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Chamber:
  Chamber of the People


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  8 June 1990
9 June 1990


Purpose of elections:

  Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body. General elections had previously been held in May 1986.


Background and outcome of elections:

  Until November 1989, political power in Czechoslovakia was held by the Communist Party (CPCZ), which dominated the National Front. All candidates for representative bodies were sponsored by the Front. Following the political upheaval in late 1989, the Federal Assembly voted to terminate this leading role. The 1990 general elections thus represented Czechoslovakia’s first multiparty polling in more than 40 years. Members of the Czech and Slovak National Councils were chosen simultaneously.

The election dates had been set on 6 March, shortly after adoption of a new national Electoral Law, and the campaign officially opened on 29 April. Altogether 22 political parties or independent movements were in the running for the 300 Federal Assembly seats at stake. Prominent among these were the Civic Forum and its counterpart in Slovakia, the Public against Violence (PAV) group; the CPCZ; and a coalition of the Christian and Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM). Civic Forum, founded in November 1989 as an informal coalition of independent opposition groups, sought primarily to establish full democracy in Czechoslovakia; its leader was Mr. Vaclav Havel, later succeeded by Mr. Jan Urban. Incumbent Prime Minister Marian Calfa (PAV) called for energetic measures to stimulate the country’s economy – introducing market mechanisms, curbing inflation and privatizing property. But he cautioned that the last step should be "cautious and gradual". The CPCZ, led by Mr. Ladislav Adamec, waged a generally low-profile campaign, supporting the policy of restructuring the centrally planned economic system but warning of risks in hasty changes.

A jubilant atmosphere prevailed on polling day, which was marked by a high turnout. According to final results announced on 13 June, the Forum-PAV alliance recorded a resounding victory, capturing 46% of the popular vote and an overall total of 170 seats. The CPCZ finished in a surprising, though distant, second place, edging the conservative Christian Democratic Union coalition.

On 12 June, President of the Republic Havel reappointed Prime Minister Calfa and asked him to form a new Government. On 27 June, a 16-member coalition (Forum-PAV, CDM and unaffiliated members) Cabinet was sworn in.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (8 and 9 June 1990): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 11,195,596
Voters 10,785,270 (96.33%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers 146,777
Valid votes 10,638,493

Round no 1: Distribution of votes  
Political Group %
Civic Forum – Public against Violence (PAV) 46.6
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (CPCZ) 13.6
Christian and Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) 12.0
Movement for self-governing democracy (MSD) – Society for Moravia and Silesia (SMS) 5.4
Slovak National Party 3.5
Coexistence 2.8
Others 16.1

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Civic Forum – Public against Violence (PAV) 87
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (CPCZ) 23
Christian and Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) 20
Movement for self-governing democracy (MSD) – Society for Moravia and Silesia (SMS) 9
Slovak National Party 6
Coexistence 5
Others 0

Distribution of seats according to sex*:  
Men: 270
Women: 30

Distribution of seats according to age*:  
35 years and under 55
36-50 years 143
51-60 years 69
Over 60 years 33

Comments:
  *These results relate to both chambers of the Federal Assambly


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Copyright © 1990 Inter-Parliamentary Union