(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Czech Republic’s governing Civic Democratic Party (ODS) continues to trail its main rival, according to a poll by STEM. 33.7 per cent of respondents would vote for the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) in the next legislative election, up 3.4 points since May.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Czech Republic’s governing Civic Democratic Party (ODS) continues to trail its main rival, according to a poll by STEM. 33.7 per cent of respondents would vote for the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) in the next legislative election, up 3.4 points since May.
The ODS is second with 24 per cent, followed by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) with 11.8 per cent, the Green Party (SZ) with 8.1 per cent, and the Christian and Democratic Union – Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL) with 4.5 per cent.
In June 2006, Czech voters renewed the Chamber of Representatives. Final results gave the ODS 35.58 per cent of all cast ballots, followed by the CSSD with 32.32 per cent. Czech parties require at least five per cent of the vote to earn seats under the country’s proportional representation system. The final tallies gave the ODS, the KDU-CSL and the SZ 100 seats in the lower house, with the remaining 100 seats going to the CSSD and the KSCM.
The tie among rival factions led to a long political stalemate. In January 2007, Czech president Vaclav Klaus re-appointed ODS leader Mirek Topolanek as prime minister. Topolanek’s government eventually won a confidence motion in the Chamber of Representatives after a 100-97 vote.
In the Czech Republic, the president is elected by Parliament to a five-year term. The Czech president can return bills to lawmakers and grant pardons to convicted criminals, and also serves as the commander in chief of the armed forces. In February 2008, Klaus was re-elected by Parliament.
On Apr. 30, the ODS-led government barely survived by a no confidence motion tabled by the CSSD over proposed fiscal reforms and the country’s participation in a missile defence program with the United States. In all, 98 lawmakers—three short of the 101 required to trigger an early election—sided with the CSSD.
On Jun. 12, Irish voters rejected the adoption of a common European body of law—known as the Lisbon Treaty—in a national referendum. The treaty needed to be ratified by all European Union (EU) members in order to take effect.
Klaus, who opposes the Lisbon Treaty, referred to the Irish vote as "the victory of freedom and reason over artificial elitist projects and European bureaucracy." If the Czech legislative branch approves the Lisbon Treaty, Klaus would have to sign it to complete its ratification.
Polling Data
What party list would you vote for in the next parliamentary election?
|
Jun. 2008 |
May 2008 |
Apr. 2008 |
|
|
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) |
33.7% |
30.3% |
31.2% |
|
Civic Democratic Party (ODS) |
24.0% |
24.8% |
23.4% |
|
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) |
11.8% |
11.3% |
11.3% |
|
Green Party (SZ) |
8.1% |
10.6% |
9.2% |
|
Christian and Democratic Union – |
4.5% |
5.2% |
5.5% |
Source: STEM
Methodology: Interviews with 1,207 Czech voters, conducted from Jun. 1 to Jun. 9, 2008. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.
