Czech legislative election, 2006

Czech legislative election, 2006

2 and 3 June 2006

All 200 seats to the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic 101 seats were needed for a majority   First party Second party   Leader Mirek Topolánek Jiří Paroubek Party ODS ČSSD Leader's seat Prague Ústí nad Labem Last election 58 seats 70 seats Seats won 81 74 Seat change 23 4 Popular vote 1,892,475 1,728,827 Percentage 35.28% 32.32%

Winning parties by district

PM before election Jiří Paroubek ČSSD Elected PM Mirek Topolánek ODS

Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 2 and 3 June 2006.^[1]

The pre-election campaign was fierce and mostly negative. A major scandal broke out few days before the election. The two largest parties had profited from the divisive campaign – both had obtained the highest percentage of votes ever. Turnout of otherwise apathetic Czech voters was increased, compared to previous parliament election.

The election has produced an evenly balanced result. One potential coalition – the Civic Democratics (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and Greens (SZ) – took 100 seats, exactly half. The Social Democrats (ČSSD) and Communists (KSČM) comprised the other half of the chamber, making the possibility of a minority Social Democratic government supported by the Communists equally problematic.

The Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats and Greens finally gained confidence on 19 January 2007 (230 days after the elections), thanks to two social democratic deputies who abstained, thus effectively choosing a right-wing government rather than the unstable situation ongoing since the June 2006 elections.

Campaign

Several weeks before the election police officer Jan Kubice, head of the squad for uncovering organised crime, hinted that highest members of police and the government were trying to cover up their cooperation with organised crime. He was summoned before parliament commission few days before the election where he presented a document; contents of the document immediately leaked out.

The document suggested that former prime minister Stanislav Gross had a connection with criminal underground and hinted that prime minister Jiří Paroubek was indirectly involved in a murder, deals with the mafia and is a pedophile. It also contained information about minor officials, some already imprisoned for suspicions of bribery.^[2][3]

Paroubek and the others denied these claims and accused the opposition (ODS) of trying to manufacture a scandal to avoid election failure. After the election Paroubek said that the allegations cost his party (ČSSD) victory and that democracy was in as much danger as in 1948 (when the Communists seized power). Initially, he planned to challenge the election result.^[4]

Chamber of Deputies

The Chamber of Deputies consists of 200 members elected for a four-year term. Seats are allocated by proportional representation amongst those lists which have gained at least 5% of the national total of valid votes cast.

Party lists are presented in 14 regions. Votes are cast for a list but voters are allowed up to two preference votes for candidates on that list.

The Czech Republic has a parliamentary system of government, with ministers being responsible to the Chamber of Deputies. The Chamber is the most powerful organ of the state with power to override vetoes by the President and the Senate.

Results

The election produced a deadlock, leaving the all the coalitions which were considered likely before the election (Civic Democrats (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and Greens (SZ); Social Democrats (ČSSD) and Communists (KSČM); Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, and Greens) with less than the 101 votes necessary to pass legislation or to sustain the required confidence vote for the new cabinet in the Chamber of Deputies (100, 100 and 93 votes, respectively). Possibilities at this point include a highly improbable grand coalition of the Civic Democrats and Social Democrats, which would command a powerful majority, adding up to 155 seats against 45; a minority cabinet of either of the 100-vote coalitions, which would have to be at least partly negotiated with the would-be opposition to get the majority required to approve it and pass any legislation; or a new call for fresh elections.

On 26 June, ODS, KDU-ČSL and SZ announced, that they had agreed on a coalition.

Results by regions

Winning parties by region

Prague

Central Bohemian Region

South Bohemian Region

Plzeň Region

Karlovy Vary Region

Ústí nad Labem Region

Liberec Region

Hradec Králové Region

Pardubice Region

Vysočina Region

South Moravian Region

Olomouc Region

Zlín Region

Moravian-Silesian Region

Results of the previous election

References

1. ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. ↑ Respekt: Last week 23/2006
3. ↑ idnes.cz: Ministrem vnitra bude Kubice, John ve vládě zůstane jako vicepremiér
4. ↑ Český rozhlas: Surprises of the June 2006 elections

External links

• Official election web site, English
• http://www.volby.cz – Official site with detailed results of all elections since 1994 in Czech and English (only for the later dates)
• Adam Carr's Election Archive
• Parties and elections

Elections and referendums in the Czech Republic Presidential elections 2013 2018 Legislative elections 1971 1976 1981 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2006 2010 2013 Next Senate elections 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 by-elections Regional elections 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Municipal elections 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 European elections 2004 2009 2014 Referendums 2003 See also: Elections in Austria-Hungary Czechoslovakia