(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Support for the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) has stalled and now is closer to that of its main opponent, according to a poll by Median. 35.7 per cent of respondents would vote for the opposition CSSD in this year’s election to the Chamber of Representatives, practically unchanged since April.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Support for the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) has stalled and now is closer to that of its main opponent, according to a poll by Median. 35.7 per cent of respondents would vote for the opposition CSSD in this year’s election to the Chamber of Representatives, practically unchanged since April.
The ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) is a close second with 32.2 per cent, followed by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) with13 per cent, the Christian and Democratic Union – Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL) with 5.8 per cent, and the Green Party (SZ) with 3.4 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. The ODS-led government survived four no-confidence motions tabled by the opposition since 2007, the last one in October 2008.
Each European Union (EU) member state presides over the Council of the EU for a period of six months, in accordance with a pre-established rotation. On Jan. 1, the Czech Republic took over these responsibilities from France.
In March 24, Topolanek lost a new no-confidence motion against the governing coalition. The motion was related to alleged wrongdoing by lawmaker Petr Wolf, who left the CSSD and usually supports the government in the Chamber of Representatives. Opposition lawmakers also voted against the government to protest what they regard as failed economic policies to deal with the global financial crisis.
In April, the leaders of the ODS, KDU-CSL, SZ and CSSD agreed to form an interim cabinet of non-partisan members. Klaus appointed Jan Fischer—a non-partisan, little known public servant who had been heading the Czech Statistical Office (CSU)—to serve as interim prime minister.
On May 8, Fischer took office. His term will end in October, when a new legislative election will take place. In his acceptance speech, the new prime minister said: "We want to complete the Czech Republic’s presidency of the EU, prepare the state budget and ensure a quiet and efficient operation of the country until the time when people decide about a new team in the next elections."
Polling Data
What party list would you vote for in the next parliamentary election?
|
|
May 1 |
Apr. 1 |
Mar. 1 |
|
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) |
35.7% |
36.4% |
38.0% |
|
Civic Democratic Party (ODS) |
32.2% |
33.5% |
36.4% |
|
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) |
13.0% |
10.6% |
11.6% |
|
Christian and Democratic Union – Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL) |
5.8% |
8.6% |
5.5% |
|
Green Party (SZ) |
3.4% |
3.9% |
3.5% |
Source: Median
Methodology: Interviews with 1,012 Czech adults, conducted from Apr. 2 to May 1, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
