| Parliament of the Czech Republic Parlament České republiky |
|
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Houses | - Senate - Chamber of Deputies |
| Leadership | |
| President of the Senate |
Milan Štěch, ČSSD since 24 November 2010 |
| Chair of the Chamber of Deputies |
Miroslava Němcová, ODS since 24 June 2010 |
| Structure | |
| Members | 281 - 81 Senators - 200 Deputies |
| Senate Political groups |
ODS (35 seats) ČSSD (29 seats) KDU-ČSL (7 seats) KSČM (3 seats) SNK-ED (2 seats) other (5 seats) |
| Chamber of Deputies Political groups |
ČSSD (56 seats) ODS (53 seats) TOP 09 (41 seats) KSČM (26 seats) VV (24 seats) |
| Elections | |
| Senate Voting system |
Two-round system |
| Chamber of Deputies Voting system |
Proportional representation |
| Senate Last election |
17-18 October 2008 24-25 October 2008 |
| Chamber of Deputies Last election |
28-29 May 2010 |
| Meeting place | |
| Palaces in Malá Strana, Prague | |
| Website | |
| Senate Chamber of Deputies |
|
| Czech Republic |
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The Parliament of the Czech Republic (Czech: Parlament České republiky) is the legislative body of the Czech Republic, based in Prague. It consists of two chambers, both elected in direct elections:
The Parliament exercises competences usual in parliamentary systems: it holds and passes bills, has the right to modify the Constitution, ratifies international agreements; if necessary, it declares war, approves presence of foreign military forces in the Czech Republic or a dispatch of Czech military forces abroad. Both chambers also elect the President at a joint session.
The tradition of modern parliamentarianism in the Bohemian lands dates back to times of the Habsburg Empire (Austria, then Cisleithanian part of Austria-Hungary), where the Imperial Council (Reichsrat, Říšská rada) was created in 1861.
After proclamation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 its National Assembly undertook legislative duties both of the Imperial Council and State Diets (Bohemian, Moravian, Silesian).[1] In 1938-1939 and between 1945 and 1990 there existed a parliament within non-democratic regimes. As a consequence of federalization of Czechoslovakia (1968), national councils of Czech and Slovak parts of the country were created.
The Chamber of Deputies keeps continuity with the Czech National Council, while the Senate was established in 1996 (with reference to the First Czechoslovak Republic one).