Czech legislative election, 2006
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All 200 seats to the Chamber of Deputies
101 seats were needed for a majority |
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First party |
Second party |
Third party |
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.JPG) |
| Leader |
Mirek Topolánek |
Jiří Paroubek |
Vojtěch Filip |
| Party |
ODS |
ČSSD |
KSČM |
| Leader's seat |
Prague |
Ústí nad Labem |
South Moravia |
| Last election |
58 seats, 24.47% |
70 seats, 30.20% |
41 seats, 18.51% |
| Seats won |
81 |
74 |
26 |
| Seat change |
 23 |
4 |
 15 |
| Popular vote |
1,892,475 |
1,728,827 |
685,328 |
| Percentage |
35.28% |
32.32% |
12.81% |
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Fourth party |
Fifth party |
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| Leader |
Miroslav Kalousek |
Martin Bursík |
| Party |
KDU–ČSL |
SZ |
| Leader's seat |
South Bohemia |
Prague |
| Last election |
31 seats, 14.27% |
0 seats, 2.36% |
| Seats won |
13 |
6 |
| Seat change |
18 |
6 |
| Popular vote |
386,706 |
336,487 |
| Percentage |
7,23% |
6.29% |
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| Winning parties by district |
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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 a few days before the elections when a classified report by the head of the anti-organised crime unit Jan Kubice was leaked to the media accusing the ruling Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) of corruption and meddling in police investigations. The two largest parties — the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the ČSSD profited from the divisive campaign and obtained the highest percentage of votes ever. Turnout of otherwise apathetic Czech voters increased, compared to the previous elections election in 2002.
The elections produced an evenly balanced result. One potential coalition – the ODS, Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and Greens (SZ) – won exactly half of the 200 seats, whilsy. The ČSSD and Communists (KSČM) held the other half, making the possibility of a minority Social Democratic government supported by the Communists equally problematic.
Ultimately the Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats and Greens formed a coalition government when a confidence vote was passed on 19 January 2007 (230 days after the elections), as two ČSSD deputies abstained.
Campaign
Several weeks before the elections, 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 connections with the criminal underground and hinted that Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek was indirectly involved in a murder, dealt with the mafia and was a pedophile. It also contained information about minor officials, some of whom had already been imprisoned on 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 electoral failure. After the elections, 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]
Campaign Finances
| Party | ČSSD | ODS | KDU-ČSL | KSČM | SZ | US-DEU |
| Money Spent | 120,000,000 Kč[5] | 80,000,000 KČ[5] | 43,000,000 Kč[5] | 22,000,000 Kč[5] | 13,000,000 Kč[6] | 11,000,000 Kč[6] |
Electoral system
The Chamber of Deputies consists of 200 members elected for a four-year term. Seats were allocated by proportional representation amongst those lists that gained at least 5% of the national total of valid votes cast.
Party lists were presented in 14 regions, with votes cast for a list, although were 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.
Opinion polls
| Date |
Polling Firm |
ODS |
ČSSD |
KSČM |
KDU-ČSL |
SZ |
US-DEU |
NEZDEM |
SNK-ED |
NEZ |
Others |
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| 2-3 Jun 2006 |
Election |
35.3 |
32.3 |
12.8 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
2.1 |
0.6 |
2.4 |
| 25–26 May 2006 |
SC&C |
30.8 |
24.2 |
12.1 |
5.8 |
8.6 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
| 18–24 May 2006 |
Factum Invenio |
27.8 |
28.5 |
17.3 |
9.0 |
8.6 |
1.1 |
N/A |
1.5 |
N/A |
3.0 |
| 19. May 2006 |
CVVM |
32.0 |
28.0 |
15.5 |
5.5 |
10.5 |
0.5 |
1.0 |
2.5 |
2.0 |
2.5 |
| 12 May 2016 |
Factum Invenio |
29.0 |
22.8 |
16.7 |
11.3 |
9.8 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| 9. May 2006 |
STEM |
26.7 |
25.2 |
13.0 |
5.4 |
7.1 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
N/A |
| 19 April 2006 |
STEM |
26.8 |
21.3 |
13.3 |
4.9 |
10.6 |
0.5 |
N/A |
1.1 |
0.5 |
N/A |
| 18 April 2006 |
Factum Invenio |
29.5 |
23.6 |
18.1 |
12.3 |
10.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| 13 April 2006 |
SC&C |
24.0 |
15.0 |
11.0 |
4.0 |
10.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
35.0 |
| 3 April 2006 |
Factum Invenio |
29.3 |
25.3 |
17.6 |
9.9 |
10.5 |
2.2 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
1.7 |
2.1 |
| 24 March 2006 |
CVVM |
25.5 |
21.0 |
12.5 |
6.5 |
10.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
24.5 |
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.
| Party |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
+/– |
|---|
| Civic Democratic Party | 1,892,475 | 35.38 | 81 | +23 |
| Czech Social Democratic Party | 1,728,827 | 32.32 | 74 | +4 |
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 685,328 | 12.81 | 26 | -15 |
| Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | 386,706 | 7.23 | 13 | -9 |
| Green Party | 336,487 | 6.29 | 6 | +6 |
| SNK European Democrats | 111,724 | 2.09 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent Democrats | 36,708 | 0.69 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 33,030 | 0.62 | 0 | New |
| Common Sense Party | 24,828 | 0.46 | 0 | 0 |
| Right Bloc | 20,382 | 0.38 | 0 | 0 |
| Freedom Union – Democratic Union | 16,457 | 0.31 | 0 | –10 |
| Law and Justice | 12,756 | 0.24 | 0 | New |
| Moravané | 12,552 | 0.23 | 0 | New |
| Equal Opportunities Party | 10,879 | 0.20 | 0 | New |
| National Party | 9,341 | 0.18 | 0 | New |
| Coalition for the Czech Republic | 8,140 | 0.15 | 0 | New |
| Koruna česká | 7,293 | 0.14 | 0 | New |
| Balbinova poeticka strana | 6,897 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 VIZE | 3,109 | 0.06 | 0 | New |
| Czech National Social Party | 1,387 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 |
| Helax-Ostrava se bavi | 1,375 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| Humanist Party | 857 | 0.02 | 0 | New |
| Folklore and Society | 574 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| Czech Right | 395 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 |
| Liberal Reform Party | 253 | 0.00 | 0 | New |
| National Unity | 216 | 0.00 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | 19,519 | – | – | – |
| Total | 5,368,495 | 100 | 200 | 0 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 8,333,305 | 64.4 | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |
| Popular vote |
|---|
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| ODS |
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35.38% |
| ČSSD |
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32.32% |
| KSČM |
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12.81% |
| KDU-ČSL |
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7.23% |
| SZ |
|
6.29% |
| SNK |
|
2.09% |
| Others |
|
3.88% |
| Parliamentary seats |
|---|
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| ODS |
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40.50% |
| ČSSD |
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37.00% |
| KSČM |
|
13.00% |
| KDU-ČSL |
|
6.50% |
| SZ |
|
3.00% |
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
Summary of the 14-15 June, 2002 Czech Chamber of Deputies election results
| Parties and coalitions |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
| |
Czech Social Democratic Party |
1,440,279 |
30.20 |
70 |
| |
Civic Democratic Party |
1,166,975 |
24.47 |
58 |
| |
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia |
882,653 |
18.51 |
41 |
| |
Coalition (Koalice) |
Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party |
680,671 |
14.27 |
22 |
| Freedom Union–Democratic Union |
9 |
| |
Union of Independents |
132,699 |
2.78 |
0 |
| |
Green Party |
112,929 |
2.36 |
0 |
| |
Republicans of Miroslav Sládek |
46,325 |
0.97 |
0 |
| Total (turnout 58.00%) |
|
100.00 |
200 |
| Source: Czech Statistical Office |
References
- ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
- ↑ Respekt: Last week 23/2006
- ↑ idnes.cz: Ministrem vnitra bude Kubice, John ve vládě zůstane jako vicepremiér
- ↑ Český rozhlas: Surprises of the June 2006 elections
- 1 2 3 4 "Kampaň k volbám do Poslanecké sněmovny 2006 - IPM". IPM.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- 1 2 "Volby provětrají stranické pokladny, úspěšným se to vyplatí | ČeskéNoviny.cz". www.ceskenoviny.cz. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
External links
