Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 20 and 21 October 2017. All 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected and Andrej Babiš of ANO, also the leader of the resultant government, became the Prime Minister. The coalition government following the 2013 parliamentary elections consisted of the two largest parties: the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, and ANO, led by former Finance Minister and businessman Andrej Babiš, alongside the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU–ČSL). The largest opposition party was the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), followed by centre-right parties TOP 09 and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).
Opinion polling showed ANO leading since early 2014, with their lead gradually increasing to double digits. ČSSD had been losing ground since early 2017, polling in the low double figures from May 2017. Polls indicated that several other parties, including KSČM, ODS, KDU–ČSL, and TOP 09, were likely to re-enter the Chamber of Deputies, with support fluctuating between 5% and 12%. Across all parties, 7,524 candidates stood for election, setting a national record. There were 37 candidates per seat.
The result was a victory for populist party ANO, which received 29.6% of the vote and 78 seats. ODS were the second strongest party, receiving 11.3% and 25 seats. The ruling ČSSD fell to 7%, finishing sixth. Both the Czech Pirate Party and Freedom and Direct Democracy received over 10% and became new parliamentary parties. Nine parties entered the lower chamber, resulting in the most fragmented Chamber of Deputies in the history of the Czech Republic. This was also the first time that neither ČSSD nor ODS won the parliamentary election. After eight months of negotiations, ANO and ČSSD agreed to form a minority coalition government, with a confidence and supply agreement with the KSČM which lasted until April 2021. This was the first time the Communists had participated in the national government since the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
Background
The Constitution of the Czech Republic stipulates that an election to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Parliament, must be held every four years. The Government is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies and stays in power only if has the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. Article 19(1) of the Constitution provides that any citizen of the Czech Republic who has right to vote and is twenty-one years old is eligible to serve as an MP.
The Social Democrats, the largest party following the 2013 elections, formed a centre-left Coalition government with ANO and KDU–ČSL. The Social Democrats were represented by eight ministers in the Government, with its leader, Bohuslav Sobotka, as Prime Minister. ANO, the runner-up in the election, was represented by six of its members in the Government, led by businessman Andrej Babiš, who was promoted to the role of the First Deputy Prime Minister and served as Finance Minister. The smallest party in the coalition, the Christian Democrats, were represented by three ministers, and their leader Pavel Bělobrádek held the position of Deputy Prime Minister. The biggest opposition party in the Chamber of Deputies was the Communist Party. The centre-right opposition to the government was represented by TOP 09 and the Civic Democrats.
2014 Senate and municipal elections
In 2014, voters elected 29 out of 81 Senators and approximately 62,300 members of local councils. The Social Democrats won the Senate election but lost many bigger cities, including the capital Prague, to its coalition partner, ANO.
2016 regional and Senate elections
In October 2016, voters elected 675 members of regional assemblies in 13 regions of the nation (except Prague) which then elected their regional leadership. ANO won the election with 21.05%, while the Social Democrats came first in only two regions – South Bohemia and Vysočina – with 15.25% nationwide. The Communists (KSČM) suffered the biggest loss, winning 10.54% and losing 96 seats in the assemblies. The centre-right ODS won 9.47% nationwide and 76 seats in regional assemblies.
Alongside the regional elections, about 2.7 million voters elected 27 of the 81 senators. The KDU-ČSL won these elections with nine new senators, while both ANO and the Social Democrats suffered heavy losses. Even though ANO had 14 candidates in the second round, only three managed to win election. The Social Democrats lost 10 seats, including that of their Vice President of the Senate Zdeněk Škromach. The centre-right ODS had six candidates in the second round, with four of them being elected (including Zdeněk Nytra, who ran as an independent).
2017 Government crisis
The coalition government successfully passed many of the policies that had been announced in 2014, such as electronic registration of sales and reverse charging of value-added tax. Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet was considered by pundits and commentators to be stable compared with previous cabinets. However, in early May 2017 a government crisis developed when Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka resigned due to the financial irregularities of Finance Minister Andrej Babiš. Sobotka reversed his decision a few days later following a dispute with President Miloš Zeman over the continuation of the government, and on 24 May 2017, Sobotka dismissed Babiš and replaced him with Ivan Pilný, effectively ending the crisis.
Electoral system The 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected from 14 multi-member constituencies (each usually electing between 5 and 25 members) using open list proportional representation, in which they can give preferential votes for up to four candidates on their chosen list. Seats are allocated using the d'Hondt method, with an electoral threshold of 5% nationwide for single parties, 10% for two-party alliances, 15% for three-party alliances and 20% for alliances of four or more parties. Candidates who receive preferential votes from more than 5% of voters are moved to the top of their list, and in cases where more than one candidate receives over 5% of the preferential votes, they are ranked in order of votes received.
Date of the election The Czech constitution states that elections to the Chamber of Deputies must be held every four years. Polling days in the Czech Republic are Friday and Saturday, and voters can submit their ballots on either day. The exact date of the election is chosen by the President, who is obliged to call it at least 90 days before the election is held. On 6 April 2017, President Zeman announced 20 and 21 October 2017 as election days.
Contesting parties Parties contesting the election included:
PartyIdeologyLeader Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) Social democracy, Pro-Europeanism Milan Chovanec ANO Centrism, Populism, Liberalism, Syncretic politics Andrej Babiš Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM)• Party of Democratic Socialism Communism, Euroscepticism Vojtěch Filip TOP 09• The Czech Crown (Monarchist Party of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia)• Conservative Party• Club of Committed Non-Party Members• Liberal-Environmental Party Liberal conservatism, Pro-Europeanism Miroslav Kalousek Civic Democratic Party (ODS)• Freeholder Party Conservatism, Economic liberalism, Euroscepticism Petr FialaChristian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-ČSL)• Coexistencia and Independents Christian democracy, Social conservatism, Pro-Europeanism Pavel Bělobrádek Mayors and Independents (STAN) • Mayors for Liberec Region • SNK European Democrats Liberal conservatism, Subsidiarity, Pro-Europeanism Petr Gazdík Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) • The Moravians Right-wing populism, Anti-immigration, Direct democracy, Euroscepticism Tomio Okamura Czech Pirate Party (Piráti) Pirate politics, Direct and Participatory democracy, Open state, Liberalism Ivan Bartoš Green Party (Zelení)• Political Movement Change Green politics, Pro-Europeanism Matěj Stropnický Party of Free Citizens (Svobodní) Classical liberalism, Right-libertarianism, Libertarian conservatism, Euroscepticism Petr Mach Realists (REAL)• Patriots of the Czech Republic National conservatism, Economic liberalism, Euroscepticism Petr Robejšek Party of Civic Rights (SPO) Social democracy, Direct democracy Jan Veleba Party of Common Sense (Rozumní)• National Democracy• Change for People• Rally for the Republic – Republican Party of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia• Democratic Party of Greens• Czech Movement for National Unity Nationalism, National liberalism, Euroscepticism Petr Hannig Rally for the Republic – Republican Party of Czechoslovakia (SPR–RSČ) National conservatism, Anti-immigration, Czechoslovak unionism, Euroscepticism Miroslav Sládek Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS) Neo-Nazism, Ultranationalism, Anti-globalism, Euroscepticism Tomáš Vandas
Campaign Background For the first time in Czech elections, campaign spending was limited, with a cap of 90 million CZK (approximately €3,300,000) for each party. A new supervisory body was established, the Office for Supervision of Finances of Political Parties and Political Movements.
The date of the election was announced on 2 May 2017, marking the start of the official campaign. Parties were allowed to register for the election until 15 August 2017. 31 parties registered in total, the highest number ever.
Issues At the time of the campaign, the minimum wage in the Czech Republic was 12,200 Czech crowns (around 472 euros). Although the minimum wage had increased by 24.6% since 2010 it was still lower than many other EU member states. Some voters expressed their feeling that incomes had stagnated and the quality of public services had declined, while fortunes were being made through dubious privatizations and the improper awarding of public service contracts.
Czech membership of the Eurozone also became a campaign issue, as although the Czech Republic has theoretically accepted the euro, it has not stated when it will adopt it. ČSSD, KDU-ČSL, the Greens and TOP 09 are all in favour of adopting the euro as early as possible, while ANO, the Communist Party and SPD reject it. ODS argue for delaying adoption of the euro, citing the European debt crisis.
Party campaigns ANO ANO, the front-runner in the election, launched its campaign on 3 May 2017, when media outlets owned by party leader Andrej Babiš published an image of Babiš with tape over his mouth, intended as a criticism of ČSSD.
On 10 August 2017, criminal proceedings began against Andrej Babiš, who is accused of subsidy fraud. The Chamber of Deputies was asked to remove Babiš's immunity so that he could be criminally prosecuted. Babiš expressed his view that the purpose of the criminal proceedings was to destroy him politically.
Babiš faced ODS leader Petr Fiala in a debate on 29 September 2017. They clashed over issues including corruption and the economy, but agreed on immigration.
ANO adopted Eurosceptic policies before the election, including opposition to the Euro, deeper European integration and immigration quotas, but took a more pro-EU stance after the campaign. Daniel Kaiser of Echo24 described the party's position on the EU as "Euro-opportunism".
Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU–ČSL)
KDU–ČSL formed a political alliance with Mayors and Independents, called Populars and Mayors, with the aim of becoming the "third power" of Czech politics. Two-party alliances require 10% of votes to qualify for seats in the parliament. The alliance was dissolved in July 2017 as a result of poor results in opinion polls.