# 1998 Czech parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 19 and 20 June 1998. The Czech Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party, winning 74 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 73.9%.

## Background

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) had won the 1996 parliamentary elections. The party's leader, Václav Klaus, then formed a minority government supported by the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). The government lasted until 1998, when it resigned during a political crisis that caused the division of ODS and the disintegration of the ruling coalition. Snap elections was called for June 1998.

## Campaign

The ODS was weakened by the creation of a new party, the Freedom Union (US). The US was formed by former members of ODS who had left after a conflict with Václav Klaus. The ODS was polling at around 10%, with the US expected to replace it as the major right-wing party. The ČSSD was expected to win by large margin. The ODS launched their campaign with warnings that a new government would contain Communist members and used its leader Klaus heavily during the campaign. The ČSSD criticised the work of Klaus' cabinet and recycled slogans used during 1996 campaign, as well as promising to fight against corruption.

### Finances

| Party | Money spent (Kč) |
| Civic Democratic Party | 30,000,000 |
| Czech Social Democratic Party | 30,000,000 |
| Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | 30,000,000 |
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 8,000,000 |
| Freedom Union | 2,000,000 |
| Source: České Noviny ||

## Opinion polls

| Polling firm | Date | ODS | ČSSD | KSČM | KDU-ČSL | ODA | US | SPR-RSČ | DŽJ | Others |
| STEM | January 1998 | 15.0 | 32.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | n/a | n/a | 5.0 | n/a | 27.0 |
| IVVM | January 1998 | 15.4 | 28.0 | 8.6 | 11.1 | 5.3 | n/a | 3.5 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| STEM | February 1998 | 12.0 | 29.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 11.0 | 8.0 | n/a | 20.0 |
| IVVM | March 1998 | 10.3 | 25.7 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 1.2 | 12.6 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 27.9 |
| STEM | March 1998 | 11.0 | 30.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 18.0 | 8.0 | n/a | 15.0 |
| STEM | April 1998 | 16.0 | 24.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 1.4 | 13.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 15.6 |
| IVVM (for US) | April 1998 | 15.9 | 23.7 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 1.3 | 12.7 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 3.3 |
| IVVM | April 1998 | 11.3 | 25.1 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 0.4 | 12.0 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 23.5 |
| STEM | May 1998 | 16.0 | 25.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 14.0 | 5.0 | n/a | 20.0 |
| IVVM (for US) | May 1998 | 16.3 | 25.4 | 10.5 | 9.0 | 1.3 | 13.7 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 3.2 |
| IVVM | May 1998 | 14.2 | 22.1 | 8.5 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 9.1 | 3.9 | 10.2 | 26.2 |
| IVVM | June 1998 | 15.0 | 22.5 | 7.4 | 7.1 | n/a | 6.8 | 4.2 | 9.0 | 26.8 |
| STEM | June 1998 | 19.0 | 22.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | n/a | 8.0 | 5.0 | n/a | 30.0 |
| Sofres Factum | 10 June 1998 | 19.5 | 26.7 | 9.0 | 6.0 | n/a | 5.4 | n/a | n/a | 12.9 |
| Sofres Factum | 12 June 1998 | 19.1 | 29.3 | 9.1 | 6.0 | n/a | 6.9 | n/a | n/a | 8.3 |
| STEM | 12 June 1998 | 20.7 | 23.2 | 10.3 | 8.8 | n/a | 8.4 | n/a | n/a | 9.1 |
| Sofres Factum | 17 June 1998 | 21.4 | 27.6 | 9.2 | 7.5 | n/a | 7.1 | n/a | n/a | 10.3 |
| Exit Polls |||||||||||
| IFES and SC&C | 20 June 1998 | 27.1 | 32.2 | 11.4 | 9.2 | n/a | 8.5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | |
| Sofres Factum | 20 June 1998 | 27.0 | 32.0 | 11.0 | 9.2 | n/a | 8.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | |
| Election results | 19-20 June 1998 | 27.7 | 32.3 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 8.6 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 |

## Results

| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 1,928,660 | 32.31 | 74 | +13 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 1,656,011 | 27.74 | 63 | –5 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 658,550 | 11.03 | 24 | +2 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 537,013 | 9.00 | 20 | +2 |
| | Freedom Union | 513,596 | 8.60 | 19 | New |
| | SPR-RSČ | 232,965 | 3.90 | 0 | –18 |
| | Pensioners for Life Security | 182,900 | 3.06 | 0 | 0 |
| | Democratic Union | 86,431 | 1.45 | 0 | 0 |
| | Green Party | 67,143 | 1.12 | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 51,981 | 0.87 | 0 | 0 |
| | Moravian Democratic Party | 22,282 | 0.37 | 0 | New |
| | Czech National Social Party | 17,185 | 0.29 | 0 | New |
| | Civic Coalition – Political Club | 14,788 | 0.25 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 5,969,505 | 100.00 | 200 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 5,969,505 | 99.58 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 25,339 | 0.42 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 5,994,844 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 8,116,836 | 73.86 | | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Volby ||||||

### Vote share by district

* ODS
* CSSD
* KSCM
* KDU CSL
* SPR RSC