(09/08/09) -

Fewer Czechs Support the Ruling ODS Party

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – After a brief period of increased popularity, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has taken a back seat in the Czech Republic’s political scene, according to a poll by STEM. 24.1 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing party in the next legislative election, down 4.2 points since June.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – After a brief period of increased popularity, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has taken a back seat in the Czech Republic’s political scene, according to a poll by STEM. 24.1 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing party in the next legislative election, down 4.2 points since June.

The opposition Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) remains in first place with 29 per cent. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) is third with 11.2 per cent, followed by the new TOP 09 party with 6.8 per cent, the Christian and Democratic Union – Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL) with 5.7 per cent, and the Green Party (SZ) with 2.7 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.

In March 2009, Topolanek’s government finally lost one of many non-confidence motions tabled by the opposition since 2007. The last 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 June, former KDU-CSL member Miroslav Kalousek announced the creation of a new conservative political party, the TOP 09. Current senator and former Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg is the party’s leader.

Last week, independent lawmaker Milos Melcak filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court saying that the early election date would violate his rights because it would cut his term as a legislator short. On Sept. 1, the court said that it would consider Melcak’s complaint, saying that the election should be put on hold in the meantime.

The court’s decision to halt the election was met with much criticism from the country’s top political leaders, including Klaus, who declared: "Along with others, I am ready to look for a rapid solution to the constitutional and political crisis that has arisen through today’s decision by the Constitutional Court."

The next legislative election was scheduled to take place on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10.

Polling Data

What party list would you vote for in the next parliamentary election?

Source: STEM
Methodology: Interviews with 1,238 Czech voters, conducted from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20, 2009. No margin of error was provided.