Civic Democratic Party leadership election, 1997

Civic Democratic Party leadership election, 1997

14 December 1997

Turnout 95.8%   Candidate Václav Klaus Jan Ruml Popular vote 227 72 Percentage 75.9% 24.1%

Leader of ODS before election Václav Klaus Elected Leader of ODS Václav Klaus

A leadership election for the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) was held in the Czech Republic on 14 December 1997. It followed a political crisis caused by allegations that the party had received illegal donations and was maintaining a secret slush which resulted in fall of the government. Incumbent party leader and Prime Minister Václav Klaus faced Jan Ruml, Klaus won the election and remained as the leader of the ODS, which led to a split in party when a group of ODS members left the party and founded the Freedom Union (US).^[1][2] In some subsequent opinion polls, the Freedom Union polled over 10% of the vote and was expected by some commentators to become the major centre-right party. However, the 1998 elections saw the party receive only 8.6% of vote, while the ODS remained the main right-wing party.^[3]

The elections were the first contested vote for ODS leader. A total of 312 delegates were allowed to vote, with future elections planned to be held every two years.^[4]

Results

Candidate	Votes	%
Václav Klaus	227	75.92
Jan Ruml	72	24.08
Total	299	100

References

1. "Bursík vyhrál v Teplicích jako Klaus v Poděbradech". Aktuálně.cz - Víte co se právě děje. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
2. "Podvody v ODS vedly v 1997 k rozpadu strany a nástupu ČSSD". Zpravy.cz. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
3. "Před 10 lety s velkými ambicemi vznikla Unie svobody". iHned.cz (in Czech). 17 January 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
4. "Volba předsedy ODS v historii: jednoznačná záležitost". Nova.cz. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2016.