2018 Senate and municipal elections

In 2018, voters elected 27 of 81 members of the Senate and approximately 61,900 members of local councils. ODS won the Senate election with 10 senators elected.^[14] ANO won the municipal elections in most regional cities, with ODS finishing first in Prague and STAN in Liberec.^[15] ČSSD and KSČM lost over half of their votes and seats in municipal councils.^[16][17]

2019 European Parliament election

In May 2019, voters elected 21 members of the European Parliament. ANO came first, with ODS and the Pirates close behind in number of seats. As ČSSD failed to achieve more than 5 percent of votes in national elections for the first time since the mid-1990s, it did not get any seat.^[18][19][20]

2020 Senate and regional elections

In October 2020, voters elected 675 members of regional assemblies in 13 regions of the nation, except Prague, which then formed regional governments. ANO won the election with 21.8% of votes but opposition parties, especially the Pirates, made gains, while allies of ANO were heavily defeated.^[21][22][23] The governing parties were also heavily defeated in the Senate elections, which were won by Mayors and Independents ahead of ODS.^[24]

Coalitions of political parties

Following these elections, opposition parties began negotiations about potential electoral alliances. It was speculated that two electoral blocs would be formed: a conservative bloc led by ODS, which would also include KDU-ČSL and TOP 09, with Petr Fiala as leader, and a liberal bloc composed of the Pirates and Mayors and Independents, with Ivan Bartoš as the leader.^[25]

The ODS leadership agreed to form an alliance on 25 October 2020, with a memorandum to be signed two days later.^[26] On 27 October 2020, Fiala, Marian Jurečka, and Markéta Adamová announced that ODS, KDU-ČSL, and TOP 09 would form an electoral alliance for the next parliamentary election, with ODS leader Fiala as the alliance's candidate for prime minister.^[27] On 11 November 2020, the parties agreed that ODS would nominate the leaders of the election lists in nine regions, KDU-ČSL in three regions, and TOP 09 in two regions.^[28] The name of the alliance was announced as SPOLU, meaning "Together" in English.^[29] Fiala was confirmed as the alliance's candidate for prime minister on 16 December 2020.^[30]

The leadership of Mayors and Independents agreed to start negotiations on 8 October 2020.^[31] The Pirates are required to ratify any alliance in a members' referendum. In a poll on 20 October 2020, 51% of Pirate members were opposed to the alliance while 43% supported it. The referendum to starting negotiations for an alliance was originally scheduled for 13 to 16 November 2020^[32] but was rescheduled for 20 to 23 November 2020.^[33] Among Pirate members, 695 out of 858 voted in favour of negotiations, with a turnout of 80%.^[34] Ivan Bartoš was nominated to be the Pirate's election leader on 25 November 2020,^[35] and was confirmed on 2 December 2020. The Pirates also offered the Green Party the possibility to join its electoral list.^[36] Bartoš was confirmed as the alliance's electoral leader on 14 December 2020.^[37] Pirate members voted to approve the alliance on 13 January 2021.^[38]

ČSSD started to negotiate the formation of a third electoral bloc in January 2021, negotiating with the Green Party and some regional parties about the formation of a left-wing electoral alliance.^[39] The Green Party stated as a condition for joining an alliance that the parties would not form a government coalition with ANO after the election.^[40]

In early 2021, the Tricolour Citizens' Movement, Svobodní, the Freeholder Party of the Czech Republic, and other minor parties began negotiations about a potential alliance.^[41] On 5 March 2021, these three parties confirmed the formation of a coalition, stating that they would run either in a formal electoral alliance or as a single party, depending on the new electoral law.^[42] The Independence Party of the Czech Republic declared support for this coalition soon after.^[43] On 23 March 2021, Tricolour leader Václav Klaus Jr. resigned from all political functions for personal reasons.^[44] Zuzana Majerová Zahradníková became acting leader of the party.^[45]

On 23 March 2021, a group of minor parties including the Alliance for the Future, Agrarian Democratic Party, Order of the Nation, and Democratic Green Party formed an electoral alliance, the Alliance for the Future, with Pavel Sehnal as leader.^[46] The Party of Common Sense also subsequently joined the alliance.^[47]

Some commentators have described the election as a "hidden referendum" on membership of the European Union (EU).^[48][49][50]

Registration process

The deadline to submit candidate lists for election was 4 August 2021. As of 2 August 2021, 29 subjects had made an application to the registration bureau.^[55] All of them were approved by the bureau and permitted to run.^[56]

Observers

Czech Republic invited experts from Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe election.^[57] OSCE provided four observers.^[58]

Covid-19 pandemic

As with the regional elections in 2020, the pandemic emergency, covered by the pandemic law,^[59] allowed for the establishment of special polling stations for people in isolation or quarantine, as well as drive-in voting locations. Disinfection and respiratory protection were provided to ensure hygienic conditions in traditional polling stations. Special election dates were announced on 6 and 7 October 2021.^[60]

Local referendums

Simultaneously with the election, there were local referendums held in 20 cities and towns: Blšany u Loun, Blučina, Bzenec, Dačice, Drnholec, Jáchymov, Jezeřany-Maršovice, Katovice, Losiná, Pardubice, Podolí, Příkosice, Řevnice, Slavonice, Sušice, Ševětín, Temelín, Třemošnice, Velký Beranov, Zduchovice and Stará Bělá (part of Ostrava).^[61][62]

Political parties

The table below lists political parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies after the 2017 parliamentary election.

Pre-election composition

Competing parties

MPs not standing for reelection

Issues

The campaign was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with opposition parties criticizing the government for its handling of the pandemic and emphasising the country's high death rate. Some parties also focused their campaigns around opposition to the COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, the government parties defended their handling of the crisis, and some government ministers argued that the situation would have been worse if the opposition had been in government. This issue later lost prominence, with economic issues receiving more attention. Several political scientists, including Daniel Prokop, characterised the election as a referendum on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.^[77][78] During the final phase of the campaign, inflation and the increasing prices of groceries became the main issue, reflected in Spolu's campaign slogan: "The cost of Babiš."^[79]

ANO 2011 and the far-right parties also focused on immigration during their campaigns, criticising multiculturalism and pledging to prevent "Muslim Europe."^[80]

Party campaigns

Independent initiatives

Campaign finances

ANO 2011

Czech Social Democratic Party

Pirates and Mayors

SPOLU

Tricolour–Svobodní–Soukromníci

Distribution of seats for individual parties

MPs by party membership

Results by region

Results by district

• Results of the election by districts.
• SPOLU
• ANO
• PirStan
• SPD
• Přísaha
• ČSSD
• KSČM
• Turnout
• Turnout by district compared with national turnout.

Voters abroad

Voter demographics

MPs with highest number of preferential votes

MPs who lost their seats

164 incumbents stood in the election but only 98 of them were reelected.^[248]

Analysis

The electoral coalition SPOLU won the most votes but finished with one fewer seat (71) in the Chamber of Deputies than ANO 2011, which won 72 with a lower vote share. ANO had the largest number of deputies of any party, winning twice as many seats as the second place Civic Democratic Party (ODS). The Pirates and Mayors (PirStan) electoral coalition came third with 37 seats. Due to preference voting, Mayors and Independents won 33 seats and the Czech Pirate Party won just 4 seats. Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) came fourth, and were the only other political party or electoral coalition to be elected to the Chamber.^[259] The election saw the highest ever number of discarded votes for parties not meeting the 5% threshold in the history of elections in the Czech Republic, with more than 1 million, or about 20%.^[260] The Czech Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia failed to win any seats in the lower chamber for the first time since 1990, and the respective party leaders Jan Hamáček and Vojtěch Filip resigned. For the first time since the Third Czechoslovak Republic, a Communist party would not be represented in the national parliament covering the Czech lands.^[261]

Political analyst Jiří Pehe of the New York University in Prague hailed the results as a "triumph for liberal democracy" and said they "signalled the end of the post-Communist era."^[262] Political analyst Michal Klima told Czech public television that the result meant "an absolute change of the politics in the Czech Republic. It stabilises the country's position in the West camp. It's a huge defeat for [Babiš]."^[263]

The media considered the result a surprise and an upset, as polls had shown ANO 2011 as the clear front-runner.^[264] Spolu were polling second but the last polls showed a surge in support, though it was still expected that they would lose. Martin Buchtík, Director of the STEM polling agency, said he thought it would be impossible that ANO 2011 would not receive the highest number of votes. Director of Median, Přemysl Čech, said it was unlikely that Spolu would be first. The Director of Kantar, Pavel Ranocha, also said he believed ANO 2011 would be first, but noted that the latest data showed that gap between ANO 2011 and Spolu narrowing. The directors of all three major polling agencies agreed that Pirates and Mayors had no chance of defeating ANO 2011, and also agreed that only ANO 2011, Spolu, Pirates and Mayors and SPD could be certain of winning seats in the Chamber of Deputies, as KSČM, ČSSD and Přísaha were all hovering around the 5% threshold.^[1] Spolu's victory in the election, against polling evidence, was attributed to a "last minute swing". Sociologist Jan Herzmann said that large number of voters had changed their mind in the last moments, which could not be detected by opinion polls. He argued that in the last week running up to the election it had become clear that Petr Fiala was an equal opponent to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, and competition between the two men led voters of smaller parties to switch to Spolu or ANO 2011, leading to disappointing results for Pirates and Mayors and SPD. Ranocha said that undecided voters were still deciding between Spolu or Pirates and Mayors, and Spolu were ahead in the polls. He also said that a large number of voters decided to support Spolu due to the television debates.^[5] Journalist Jan Horák of Aktuálně.cz said that Spolu were competing with Pirates and Mayors to be the main opposition option, but opinion polls showed Spolu as the stronger of the two, which won them votes. He also noted that Fiala was more acceptable than Pirate leader Ivan Bartoš. Political scientist Lubomír Kopeček said that inflation and the Pandora Papers affair may have contributed to ANO's defeat.^[265]

New Chamber of Deputies has highest representation of women with 50 elected female MPs. PirStan has highest representation of women with 35% of MPs being female. Average age of elected MPs is 50 years with Bohuslav Svoboda at 77 years being oldest MP. Ondřej Babek is the youngest MP as he is 27 years old.^[266]

On 12 November 2021, STEM published a poll conducted from 15 October to 25 October 2021. According to the poll, 61% of PirStan supporters were Pirate Party supporters, while 39% supported STAN. However, 58% of STAN supporters used preferential voting, compared to only 29% of Pirate Party supporters, resulting in a large difference in seat distribution between the two parties.^[267] According to the poll, 49% of SPOLU voters were supporters of ODS, 26% of TOP 09, and 25% of KDU-ČSL. 47% of KDU-ČSL supporters, 44% of ODS supporters and 35% of TOP 09 supporters used preferential voting.^[268]

Complaints

The Supreme Administrative Court received 210 complaints about election irregularities, three times more than in 2017.^[269] Many complaints were directed at Czech Television, stating that its election coverage benefitted some parties. Others attacked the electoral coalitions and the rule of wearing masks at polling stations.^[270]

It was reported on 22 October 2021 that the Pirates and Mayors had lodged a complaint stating that the Czech Statistical Bureau misinterpreted the electoral law, resulting in an incorrect allocation of seats. If the complaint is successful, then ANO 2011 will lose one seat to Pirates and Mayors. The deadline to respond to complaints is 11 November 2021.^[271] Another complaint that received media attention was made by Zdeněk Černý, who was due to run as a candidate for SPOLU in South Moravia before his candidacy was withdrawn in the last moments before the election. Černý argued his withdrawal was illegal and wanted to invalidate the election of all SPOLU candidates in South Moravia to recount the preferential votes.^[272]

On 5 November 2021, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected all complaints, including those made by Pirates and Mayors and by Zdeněk Černý. It stated that Pirates and Mayors had misunderstood the electoral law.^[273][272] On 8 December 2021, Pirates and Mayors sent a complaint to Constitutional Court seeking to repeal the decision by the Supreme Administrative Court.^[274] On 26 January 2022, the Constitutional Court rejected the complaint for procedural reasons.^[275]

Government formation

Incumbent prime minister Andrej Babiš conceded defeat and accepted the results of the vote on the night of 9 October, saying: "That's life, we understand and accept that." Babiš also accused the opposition of a "smear campaign" during the lead-up to the election.^[276] Incumbent president Miloš Zeman had indicated that he would give the prime ministerial mandate to the candidate of the largest party, not the largest coalition. Babiš described ANO's performance as a great result, but said he was not expecting a loss. He congratulated the chairman of SPOLU for becoming the largest coalition, and said that he was open to talks with all parties who were going to enter the new parliament, except for PirStan, which he ruled out. PirStan said they would not join or support an ANO-led government, or a government that included SPD, calling them "parties with a corrupt past" (ANO) or parties "threatening liberal democracy" (SPD).^[277]

SPD ruled out joining a coalition government with ANO but indicated that they were open to exploratory talks with ANO about providing direct or indirect support to an ANO-led minority government. SPD leader Tomio Okamura said in a press conference that passing a new law to allow national referendums, including on Czexit and possibly NATO membership, was his condition for supporting Babiš's campaign for a second term in office. Babiš left the door open to possible cooperation with SPD but indicated that this was not his first choice as he rejected a referendum on EU membership. After results showed that a potential ANO–SPD majority was mathematically impossible, Babiš indicated his willingness to form a grand coalition with SPOLU, if he were to be asked first by Zeman. Petr Just, a political scientist at the Metropolitan University Prague, said many in ODS were open to forming a government with ANO, as long as Babiš was not part of the government, while many in ANO preferred an alliance with ODS instead of SPD. SPOLU ruled this scenario out, especially if Babiš continued as prime minister.^{[278][279][280]}

After the results, SPOLU and PirStan signed a memorandum to form a coalition government with Petr Fiala as prime minister.^[281] Both groups said they would not work with Babiš.^[282] Petr Fiala said: "The two democratic coalitions (SPOLU and Pirates and Mayors) have gained a majority and have a chance to form a majority government. We are the change. You are the change."^[283] PirStan leader Ivan Bartoš said talks with SPOLU "on the possibilities of forming a new government" would likely begin on 9 October. He hailed the end of the "dominance of Andrej Babiš", and said that "the democratic parties have shown that the era of chaos will probably be behind us."^[284]

On 10 October, Zeman was hospitalized, creating uncertainty over how and when the government formation talks would be held.^[285][286] On 11 October, a spokesman for the hospital said that Zeman's condition had stabilized, commenting: "The reason for [Zeman's] hospitalization is complications from the illnesses for which he has been receiving treatment."^[287] On 15 October, Babis announced that he was prepared to go into opposition and would not accept an offer to try to create a new government, commenting: "We will hand it over to the new coalition and we will be in opposition."^[288] On 18 October, Miloš Vystrčil, the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, announced he had received a letter from the Central Military Hospital declaring Zeman unfit to fulfil his duties as the president, and indicated that he planned to trigger Article 66 of the constitution to remove Zeman from office.^[289] In response, the Senate announced their intention to transfer Zeman's constitutional powers to the current prime minister, Andrej Babiš, and the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. The Speaker is expected to ask Fiala to form a government if Article 66 is triggered.^[290]

On 2 November, SPOLU and PirStan agreed on the composition of the new government. SPOLU would have the Prime Minister and 10 ministers, while PirStan would have 6 ministers.^[291] Ministries held by SPOLU include Finance, Labour and Social affairs, Defence, Transportation, Health, Agriculture, Justice, Environment, Culture and Science. PirStan would get the minister for the Interior, Industry, Education, Local development, Foreign affairs, Legislature and European Union. The signature of the coalition agreement was set for 8 November.^[292]

Fiala also said that he had been contacted by Zeman's staff on the same day, to say that the President was looking forward to meeting him, and intended to do so once he got transferred from the intensive care unit room to a normal room.^[293] On 4 November, Zeman was transferred to a normal room.^[294] On 5 November, Zeman confirmed during an interview for Frekvence 1 that he would appoint Fiala the new Prime Minister, and would do everything he could for the new government to be formed as quickly as possible.^[295]

ODS and STAN approved the coalition agreement on 4 November.^[296][297] KDU-ČSL and TOP 09 approved the agreement on 5 November.^[298] The Czech Pirate Party announced that its members would vote on approving the agreement on 13 and 14 November.^[299] The leadership of the Pirate Party approved the agreement on 7 November. As a result, Bartoš signed the agreement along with the leaders of the other parties on 8 November, even though party members were still to vote.^[300] The leaders of all five parties signed the coalition agreement on 8 November.^[301][302] The new Chamber of Deputies had its constituent meeting the same day. Babiš promised that his cabinet would resign soon afterward to allow a new government to be formed quickly.^[303] On 9 November, Zeman asked Fiala to form a government.^[304][305] The constituent meeting concluded on 10 November and the government resigned the day after. Zeman accepted the resignation the same day. Zeman's Chancellor Vratislav Mynář stated that Fiala would be appointed in a matter of weeks, after the President had met Fiala and the Ministerial candidates.^[306][307]

On 12 November, a referendum began among Pirate Party members over whether to approve the coalition agreement. MP Jakub Michálek, who was expected to become Minister for Legislation, announced that he would not be part of the incoming government to avoid the cumulation of jobs, adding that he believed it could convince more members to vote for the government.^[308] The referendum concluded on 15 November. 82% of party members agreed that the party should join the incoming government. Fiala was set to meet President Zeman on 17 November to present his cabinet and proposed government ministers.^[309][310]

Presidential approval

Fiala met Zeman on 17 November and presented him with the names of his proposed cabinet. Zeman stated that he would appoint Fiala as the new Prime Minister on 26 November, but expressed his disagreement with one potential minister, reported in Czech media to be Jan Lipavský, the candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs.^{[311][312][313]} Fiala stated afterwards that he did not intend to make any changes to his cabinet.^[314] On 25 November 2021, Zeman tested positive for COVID-19,^[315][316] delaying the appointment until 28 November 2021.^[317] Zeman said he would meet Fiala's nominations for cabinet positions over the next two weeks.^[318] Outgoing Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said he expected the rest of the cabinet to be appointed after 13 December 2021.^[319] Following his appointment, Fiala said he believed his government would bring change and improve the lives of people in the Czech Republic, but that the next year would be difficult for many citizens and the Czech Republic itself.^[320]

Zeman started meeting the ministerial nominees on 29 November 2021, when he met Martin Baxa and Mikuláš Bek.^[321] On 7 December 2021, he met Jan Lipavský, reported as the potential minister Zeman did not want to appoint.^[322] According to sources cited by Frekvence 1, Zeman told Lipavský to withdraw his nomination.^[323] Fiala subsequently declared that if Zeman did not appoint all of his ministers, he would submit a jurisdiction action to the Constitutional Court against Zeman.^[324][325] The meetings concluded when Zeman met Vlastimil Válek on 10 December 2021.^[326][327] Zeman then stated that he did not intend to appoint Lipavský.^[328] Fiala responded that Constitutional Court would decide whether the president could reject a minister nominated by the prime minister, and said he would meet Zeman on 13 December 2021 to discuss the next steps for the appointment of the cabinet.^[329]

Fiala met Zeman on 13 December 2021 at Lány Castle. After the meeting, Zeman agreed to appoint all cabinet members, including Lipavský, on 17 December 2021.^[330][331] A vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies was scheduled for 12 January 2022.^[332][333]

Fiala's cabinet was appointed by Zeman on 17 December 2021. Fiala said that his cabinet had taken over responsibility, noting that "we are not starting in a good situation as there are many overlooked problems. We will start working immediately as there is so much work and we want to do it differently than our predecessors."^[333] Zdeněk Nekula was the only minister that was not appointed, as he had tested positive for COVID-19. His appointment as Minister of Agriculture was postponed until January 2022, and Marian Jurečka was temporarily designated to manage the Ministry of Agriculture.^[334] Fiala confirmed on 2 January 2022 that Nekula would be appointed on 3 January, and the new cabinet would ask the Chamber of Deputies for confidence on 12 January 2022.^[335] Nekula was appointed on 3 January 2022, completing the cabinet.^[336]

Fiala's cabinet was presented to the Chamber of Deputies on 12 January 2022 for a confidence vote. The vote did not occur on that day as the pre-vote debate continued for 22 hours.^[337] The vote was also delayed by Freedom and Direct Democracy leader Tomio Okamura, who called for a special meeting over the financing of Mayors and Independents, following media reports that the party had accepted gifts from Cyprus.^[338][339] The confidence debate session continued in the evening of 13 January 2022.^[337] After 23 hours of debate, the cabinet won the confidence vote by 106–87, with 193 MPs present.^[340][341]

International response

Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová congratulated the Czech Republic and wished it a successful and conflict-free government formation. Prime Minister Eduard Heger congratulated the country for the high voter turnout and congratulated SPOLU for victory, noting that he hoped Fiala would form a government that would govern well. He described Czechs as Slovakia's "closest friends and brothers."^[342] Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán congratulated Fiala on his appointment as Prime Minister, calling the Czech Republic a friend and strategic partner.^[343]

The international press identified the result as a sign of the decline of populism in Central Europe. The New York Times noted the surprise defeat for Babiš. The Wall Street Journal suggested that the result might echo in Hungary before the 2022 Hungarian parliamentary election.^[344]