Politics of the Czech Republic 5848 212701440 2008-05-15T21:50:06Z Gaius Cornelius 293907 Tidy , typos fixed: Parlament → Parliament using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Politics of the Czech Republic}} '''Politically, the Czech Republic''' is a multi-party [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]]. According to the [[Constitution of the Czech Republic]], the [[President of the Czech Republic|President]] is the [[head of state]] while the [[List of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic|Prime Minister]] is the [[head of government]], exercising supreme [[executive power]]. The [[Legislature]] is [[bicameral]], with the [[Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic|Chamber of Deputies]] (''Poslanecká sněmovna'') and the [[Senate of the Czech Republic|Senate]] (''Senát''). ==Political developments== The [[Czech Republic|Czech]] [[politics|political]] scene supports a broad spectrum of [[political party|parties]] ranging from the semi-reformed [[Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia|Communist Party]] on the far left to various [[nationalistic]] parties on the extreme right. Generally, the (liberal) right beyond the specific case of huge and conservative [[Civic Democratic Party]] is splintered and has failed in several attempts to unite. Czech voters returned a split verdict in the June [[2002]] parliamentary elections, giving the left-of-center [[Czech Social Democratic Party|Social Democrats]] (ČSSD) and Communists majority, without any possibility to form a functioning [[government]] together due to [[Vladimír Špidla]]'s strong anticommunism. The results produced a ČSSD coalition government with [[Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party|Christian Democrats]] (KDU-ČSL) and [[Freedom Union-Democratic Union|Liberals]] (US-DEU), while [[Civic Democratic Party|Civic Democrats]] (ODS) and Communists (KSČM) took place in opposition. The MP ratio was the tiniest 101:99. After many buffetings and, finally, after the catastrophic results of the June [[European Parliament election, 2004 (Czech Republic)|European Parliament election, 2004]] Špidla resigned after a revolt in his own party and the government was reshuffled on the same basis. [[Image:Flag of the president of the Czech Republic.svg|right|thumb|Flag of the Czech president]] As the system in Czech repeatedly produces very weak governments (a specific problem is that about 15% of the electorate support the Communists, who are shunned by all the other parties) there is constant talk about changing it but without much chance of really pushing the reform through. An attempt to increase majority elements by tweaking the system parameters (more smaller districts, [[d'Hondt method]] used) by ČSSD and ODS during their "opposition agreement" 1998–2002 was vehemently opposed by smaller parties and blocked by the Constitutional Court as going too much against the constitution-stated proportional principle; only a moderated form was adopted. This, however led to a stalemate in 2006 elections where both the left and the right each gained exactly 100 seats; as many commenters point out, the earlier system would have given the right 3-4 seats majority. A government formed of a coalition of the ODS, KDU-ČSL, and the [[Green Party (Czech Republic)|Green Party]] (SZ), and led by the leader of the ODS [[Mirek Topolánek]] finally succeeded in winning a [[vote of confidence]] on [[January 19]], [[2007]]. This was thanks to two members of the ČSSD, [[Miloš Melčák]] and [[Michal Pohanka]], who abstained. In March 2006, the parliament overturned a veto by President Václav Klaus, and the Czech Republic became the first former communist country in Europe to grant legal recognition to same-sex partnerships. ==Executive branch== {{office-table}} |[[List of presidents of the Czech Republic|President]] |[[Václav Klaus]] |[[Civic Democratic Party|ODS]] (ex-member, honorary chairman) |[[7 March]] [[2003]] |- |[[List of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic|Prime Minister]] |[[Mirek Topolánek]] |[[Civic Democratic Party|ODS]] | [[4 September]] [[2006]] |} [[Image:Praha strakova akademie 5886.jpg|right|thumb|Seat of government in Prague - [[Malá Strana]]]] The [[President of the Czech Republic]] is elected by joint session of the parliament for five-year term (no more than two consecutive). The president is a formal [[head of state]] with limited specific powers, most importantly to return laws to the parliament, nominate [[Constitutional Court]] judges for Senate's approval, and dissolve the parliament under certain special and rare conditions. He also appoints the [[Prime Minister of the Czech Republic|prime minister]] as well the other members of the [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]] on a proposal by the prime minister. [[Václav Klaus]], now [[President]] of the Czech Republic, former Prime Minister and chairman of Civic Democrats (ODS) remains one of the country's most popular politicians. The [[Prime Minister]] is the head of government and wields considerable powers, including the right to set the agenda for most foreign and domestic policy, mobilize the parliamentary majority, and choose governmental ministers. ==Legislative branch== [[Image:Zasedací sál Poslanecké sněmovny.jpg|right|thumb|Interior of [[Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic|Sněmovna]]]] The [[Parliament of the Czech Republic|Parliament]] (''Parlament České republiky'') has [[bicameralism|two chambers]]. The [[Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic|Chamber of Deputies]] (''Poslanecká sněmovna'') has 200 members, elected for a four year term by [[proportional representation]] with a 5 % [[election threshold]]. There are 14 voting districts identical to the country's administrative regions. The Chamber of Deputies, at first the [[Czech National Council]], has the powers and responsibilities of the now defunct federal parliament of the former [[Czechoslovakia]]. The [[Senate of the Czech Republic|Senate]] (''Senát'') has 81 members, in single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] elected by two-round [[Two-round system|runoff voting]] for a six-year term, with one third renewed every even year in the autumn. The first election was 1996 (for differing terms). This is patterned after the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] but each constituency is of (roughly) same size and the system used is two-round runoff voting. The Senate is unpopular among the public and suffers from low election turnout (overall roughly 30% in the first round, 20% in the second). ==Political parties and elections== {{elect|List of political parties in the Czech Republic|Elections in the Czech Republic}} {{Czech legislative election, 2006}} {{Czech senate election, 2006}} ==Judicial branch== The country's highest court of appeals is the [[Supreme court|Supreme Court]]. The Constitutional Court, which rules on constitutional issues, is appointed by the president with Senate approval, and its 15 members serve 10-year terms. The justices of the Constitutional Court have a mandatory retirement age of 70. ==Administrative divisions== The Czech Republic is divided in 14 [[Regions of the Czech Republic|Regions]] including the capital of Prague. The older 73 districts (''okresy'', singular: ''okres'') and 4 municipalities* (města, singular: ''město'') were disbanded [[in 1999 in an often-criticised administrative reform]]; however are still traditionally recognized and remain the seats of various branches of state administration: [[Benešov]], [[Beroun]], [[Blansko]], [[Břeclav]], [[Brno]]-město*, Brno-venkov, [[Bruntál]], [[České Budějovice]], [[Česká Lípa]], [[Český Krumlov]], [[Cheb]], [[Chomutov]], [[Chrudim]], [[Děčín]], [[Domažlice]], [[Frýdek-Místek]], [[Havlíčkův Brod]], [[Hodonín]], [[Hradec Králové]], [[Jablonec nad Nisou]], [[Jeseník]], [[Jičín]], [[Jihlava]], [[Jindřichův Hradec]], [[Karlovy Vary]], [[Karviná]], [[Kladno]], [[Klatovy]], [[Kolín]], [[Kroměříž]], [[Kutná Hora]], [[Liberec]], [[Litoměřice]], [[Louny]], [[Mělník]], [[Mladá Boleslav]], [[Most]], [[Náchod]], [[Nový Jičín]], [[Nymburk]], [[Olomouc]], [[Opava]], [[Ostrava]]*, [[Pardubice]], [[Pelhřimov]], [[Písek]], [[Plzeň]]*, Plzeň-jih, Plzeň-sever, [[Prachatice]], [[Prague|Praha]]*, Praha-východ, Praha-západ, [[Přerov]], [[Příbram]], [[Prostějov]], [[Rakovník]], [[Rokycany]], [[Rychnov nad Kněžnou]], [[Semily]], [[Sokolov]], [[Strakonice]], [[Šumperk]], [[Svitavy]], [[Tábor]], [[Tachov]], [[Teplice]], [[Trutnov]], [[Třebíč]], [[Uherské Hradiště]], [[Ústí nad Labem]], [[Ústí nad Orlicí]], [[Vsetín]], [[Vyškov]], [[Žďár nad Sázavou]], [[Zlín]], [[Znojmo]] ==International organization participation== The Czech Republic is member of [[Australia Group]], [[Bank for International Settlements|BIS]], [[Council of Europe|CE]], [[CEI]], [[CERN]], [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council|EAPC]], [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development|EBRD]], [[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe|ECE]], [[European Union|EU]] (among the 10 new members since May 2004), [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[World Bank|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Energy Agency|IEA]] (observer), [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[Inmarsat]], [[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization|Intelsat]], [[International Criminal Police Organization - Interpol|Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organisation for Migration|IOM]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[International Trade Union Confederation|ITUC]], [[NATO]], [[Nuclear Energy Agency|NEA]], [[Nuclear Suppliers Group|NSG]], OAS (observer), [[Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]], [[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]], [[Partnership for Peace|PFP]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[United Nations Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]], [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka|UNMOP]], [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan|UNMOT]], [[United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia|UNOMIG]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[Visegrád group]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[Western European Union|WEU]] (associate), [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]], [[Zangger Committee]] ==External links== * [http://www.hrad.cz/en/ustava_cr/index.shtml Constitution of the Czech Republic] * [http://www.volby.cz/ - website with results of all elections in Czech and English] * [http://www.rzb.at/eBusiness/services/resources/lnz_resource_rzb_static/0,7130,1023296711504-1025308884300_1025311539513_1025311893931-65903287614859521-1-NA-NA,00.pdf RZB Group: Czech Republic - Election 2006 Special] * [http://www.praguemonitor.com/czech-election-2006/ Czech 2006 Election blog by the Prague Daily Monitor] * [http://www.ku.edu/~herron/ Erik Herron's Guide to Politics of East Central Europe and Eurasia] {{Politics of Europe}} [[Category:Politics of the Czech Republic| ]] [[cs:Politický systém Česka]] [[de:Politisches System Tschechiens]] [[fr:Politique de la République tchèque]] [[pl:Ustrój polityczny Czech]] [[pt:Política da República Tcheca]]