Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic on 5 and 6 October 2018 alongside municipal elections, with a second round held on 12 and 13 October 2018. The Conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) won the election with 10 seats. Governing parties ANO 2011 and the Czech Social Democratic Party were heavily defeated, winning only 1 seat each. The Communist Party lost its last seat in the Senate when Václav Homolka failed to be re-elected, meaning the party would be without representation in the Senate for the first time in the history of Czech Republic. The election was considered the first major win for the opposition to Andrej Babiš' Cabinet. Commentators including Josef Kopecký also noted ODS confirmed their position as the main opposition party, ahead of the Czech Pirate Party.^[1][2][3][4]

Quick Facts 27 of the 81 seats in the Senate, First party ...

2018 Czech Senate election

← 2016 5–6 October 2018 (first round) 12–13 October 2018 (second round) 2020 →
27 of the 81 seats in the Senate
First party Second party Third party   Leader Petr Fiala Petr Gazdík Pavel Bělobrádek Party ODS STAN KDU-ČSL Seats won 10 5 2 First round 163,630 15.02% 79,025 7.25% 99,383 9.12% Second round 116,376 27.86% 47,317 11.33% 34,833 8.34%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Andrej Babiš Jan Hamáček Ivan Bartoš Party ANO ČSSD Pirates Seats won 1 1 1 First round 147,477 13.53% 100,478 9.22% 66,281 6.08% Second round 57,500 13.76% 33,887 8.11% 17,528 4.20%

Close

One-third of the 81-member Senate is elected every two years, giving Senators six year terms. Members of the Senate are elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system.^[5]

The Senate election campaign ran parallel to the campaign for the municipal elections.^[6]

ANO 2011 launched their campaign on 3 September 2018. Babiš said that ANO was offering many highly qualified candidates, including Ivan Pilný and Eva Syková.^[7]

The Czech Social Democratic Party launched their campaign on 5 September 2018, focused on social issues.^[which?][8]

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) launched their campaign on 7 September 2018. Petr Fiala stated that the election would be a conflict of two worlds, with ODS representing the world of experienced candidates and ANO 2011 representing the world of repeated restarts.^[9]

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) was the most successful party in the first round, with 11 candidates proceeding to the second round. ANO 2011 had 10 candidates proceeding.^[12]