# 2006 Czech parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 2 and 3 June 2006 to elect the members of the Chamber of Deputies.
A major scandal broke out a few days before the elections when a classified report by Jan Kubice, the head of the anti-organised crime unit, was leaked to the media, accusing the ruling Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) of corruption and interference in police investigations. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Social Democratic Party, the two largest parties, obtained their highest percentage of votes ever. Turnout increased from the previous parliamentary elections in 2002.
The elections produced an evenly balanced result. One potential coalition – the Civic Democratic Party, Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and Greens – won exactly half of the 200 seats, while the Social Democratic Party and the Communists (KSČM) held the other half, meaning that either coalition would struggle to pass legislation.
Following the elections, 230 days passed without a new government being formed. Eventually, a coalition government formed of the Civic Democratic Party, KDU-ČSL and the Greens passed a confidence vote on 19 January 2007, when two Social Democrat deputies abstained.

## Campaign

Several weeks before the elections, police officer Jan Kubice, head of the squad for investigating organised crime, suggested that senior figures from the police and the government were trying to cover up their cooperation with organised crime. He was summoned before a parliament commission a few days before the election where he presented a document; the contents of the document were leaked immediately.
The document suggested that former Prime Minister Stanislav Gross had connections with the criminal underground and hinted that Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek was indirectly involved in a murder, dealt with the mafia and was a pedophile. It also contained information about minor officials, some of whom had already been imprisoned for bribery.
Paroubek and the others denied these claims and accused the opposition Civic Democratic Party of trying to manufacture a scandal to help them in the elections. After the elections, Paroubek said that the allegations cost his party, the Social Democratic Party, victory and that democracy was in as much danger as in 1948, when the Communists seized power. He raised the possibility of challenging the election result, though this did not happen.

### Campaign Finances

| Party | ČSSD | ODS | KDU-ČSL | KSČM | SZ | US-DEU |
| Money Spent | 120,000,000 Kč | 80,000,000 KČ | 43,000,000 Kč | 22,000,000 Kč | 13,000,000 Kč | 11,000,000 Kč |

## Electoral system

The Chamber of Deputies consists of 200 members elected for a four-year term. Seats were allocated by proportional representation between those lists that gained over 5% of the national total of valid votes cast.
Party lists were presented in 14 regions, with votes cast for a list, although voters were allowed up to two preference votes for candidates on that list.
The Czech Republic has a parliamentary system of government, with ministers being responsible to the Chamber of Deputies. The Chamber is the most powerful organ of the state with power to override vetoes by the President and the Senate.

## Opinion polls

| Date | Polling Firm | ODS | ČSSD | KSČM | KDU-ČSL | SZ | US-DEU | NEZDEM | SNK-ED | NEZ | Others |
| 2-3 Jun 2006 | Election | 35.3 | 32.3 | 12.8 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 |
| 25–26 May 2006 | SC&C | 30.8 | 24.2 | 12.1 | 5.8 | 8.6 | — | — | — | — | |
| 22 May 2006 | Median | 19.0 | 20.0 | 12.2 | 6.0 | 8.9 | — | — | — | — | |
| 18–24 May 2006 | Factum Invenio | 27.8 | 28.5 | 17.3 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 1.1 | — | 1.5 | — | 3.0 |
| 19 May 2006 | CVVM | 32.0 | 28.0 | 15.5 | 5.5 | 10.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| 12 May 2006 | Factum Invenio | 29.0 | 22.8 | 16.7 | 11.3 | 9.8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9. May 2006 | STEM | 26.7 | 25.2 | 13.0 | 5.4 | 7.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | — |
| 19 April 2006 | STEM | 26.8 | 21.3 | 13.3 | 4.9 | 10.6 | 0.5 | — | 1.1 | 0.5 | — |
| 18 April 2006 | Factum Invenio | 29.5 | 23.6 | 18.1 | 12.3 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13 April 2006 | SC&C | 24.0 | 15.0 | 11.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 35.0 |
| 3 April 2006 | Factum Invenio | 29.3 | 25.3 | 17.6 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.1 |
| 24 March 2006 | CVVM | 25.5 | 21.0 | 12.5 | 6.5 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 24.5 |
| 17 March 2006 | STEM | 26.7 | 21.8 | 12.4 | 6.1 | 9.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 21.6 |
| 16 February 2006 | STEM | 28.6 | 24.5 | 15.3 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 15.6 |
| 2 February 2006 | CVVM | 36.0 | 35.0 | 14.5 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | — | — | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| 18 January 2006 | STEM | 28.6 | 27.2 | 13.2 | 6.7 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 18.3 |

## Results

The election produced a deadlock, leaving all the coalitions which were considered likely before the election (ODS-KDU-ČSL-Greens; ČSSD-KSČM; ČSSD-KDU-ČSL-Greens) with less than the 101 votes required to pass legislation or to pass a confidence vote for the new cabinet in the Chamber of Deputies (100, 100 and 93 votes, respectively). Remaining possibilities included a grand coalition of the Civic Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party, which would command a large majority, totalling 155 seats against 45; a minority cabinet of either of the 100-vote coalitions, which would have negotiate with the opposition to get the majority required for a confidence vote or to pass any legislation; or fresh elections.
On 26 June, the Civic Democratic Party, KDU-ČSL and the Greens announced that they had agreed on a coalition.
| | Civic Democratic Party | 1,892,475 | 35.38 | 81 | +23 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 1,728,827 | 32.32 | 74 | +4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 685,328 | 12.81 | 26 | –15 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 386,706 | 7.23 | 13 | –10 |
| | Green Party | 336,487 | 6.29 | 6 | +6 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 111,724 | 2.09 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent Democrats | 36,708 | 0.69 | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 33,030 | 0.62 | 0 | New |
| | Party of Common Sense | 24,828 | 0.46 | 0 | 0 |
| | Right Bloc | 20,382 | 0.38 | 0 | 0 |
| | Freedom Union – Democratic Union | 16,457 | 0.31 | 0 | –8 |
| | Law and Justice | 12,756 | 0.24 | 0 | New |
| | Moravané | 12,552 | 0.23 | 0 | New |
| | Equal Opportunities Party | 10,879 | 0.20 | 0 | New |
| | National Party | 9,341 | 0.17 | 0 | New |
| | Coalition for the Czech Republic (KAN–SP-DEU-HNPD) | 8,140 | 0.15 | 0 | 0 |
| | Koruna Česká | 7,293 | 0.14 | 0 | New |
| | Balbín's Poetic Party | 6,897 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 |
| | 4 VIZE | 3,109 | 0.06 | 0 | New |
| | Czech National Socialist Party | 1,387 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Helax-Ostrava se bavi | 1,375 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Humanist Party | 857 | 0.02 | 0 | New |
| | Folklore and Society | 574 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| | Czech Right | 395 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 |
| | Liberal Reform Party | 253 | 0.00 | 0 | New |
| | National Unity | 216 | 0.00 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 5,348,976 | 100.00 | 200 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 5,348,976 | 99.64 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 19,519 | 0.36 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 5,368,495 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 8,333,305 | 64.42 | | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### Vote share by district

* ODS
* CSSD
* KSCM
* KDU CSL
* SZ

### By region
#### Prague

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 317,224 | 48.32 | 14 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 152,962 | 23.30 | 6 |
| | Green Party | 60,384 | 9.20 | 2 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 51,925 | 7.91 | 2 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 31,820 | 4.85 | 1 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 23,386 | 3.56 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 18,794 | 2.86 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 656,495 | 100.00 | 25 |

#### Central Bohemian Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 243,012 | 39.19 | 10 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 190,607 | 30.74 | 8 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 79,964 | 12.90 | 3 |
| | Green Party | 37,219 | 6.00 | 1 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 30,207 | 4.87 | 1 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 13,055 | 2.11 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 25,983 | 4.19 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 620,047 | 100.00 | 23 |

#### South Bohemian Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 123,804 | 36.69 | 6 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 102,833 | 30.48 | 4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 45,099 | 13.37 | 2 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 27,630 | 8.19 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 19,924 | 5.91 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 18,097 | 5.36 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 337,387 | 100.00 | 13 |

#### Plzeň Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 105,391 | 36.46 | 5 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 91,606 | 31.69 | 4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 40,578 | 14.04 | 2 |
| | Green Party | 17,090 | 5.91 | 0 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 16,338 | 5.65 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 18,046 | 6.24 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 289,049 | 100.00 | 11 |

#### Karlovy Vary Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 49,189 | 35.87 | 2 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 44,887 | 32.74 | 2 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 20,323 | 14.82 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 9,206 | 6.71 | 0 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 4,723 | 3.44 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 8,789 | 6.41 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 137,117 | 100.00 | 5 |

#### Ústí nad Labem Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 132,895 | 35.46 | 6 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 130,365 | 34.79 | 5 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 60,175 | 16.06 | 2 |
| | Green Party | 22,616 | 6.04 | 1 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 8,365 | 2.23 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 20,320 | 5.42 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 374,736 | 100.00 | 14 |

#### Liberec Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 83,647 | 38.81 | 4 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 63,181 | 29.32 | 3 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 24,823 | 11.52 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 20,646 | 9.58 | 0 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 9,131 | 4.24 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 14,082 | 6.53 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 215,510 | 100.00 | 8 |

#### Hradec Králové Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 111,466 | 37.67 | 5 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 89,204 | 30.14 | 4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 34,093 | 11.52 | 1 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 19,893 | 6.72 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 19,819 | 6.70 | 0 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 9,126 | 3.08 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 12,330 | 4.17 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 295,931 | 100.00 | 11 |

#### Pardubice Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 91,113 | 33.26 | 4 |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 90,268 | 32.95 | 4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 33,956 | 12.40 | 1 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 24,023 | 8.77 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 17,148 | 6.26 | 0 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 6,641 | 2.42 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 10,772 | 3.93 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 273,921 | 100.00 | 10 |

#### Vysočina Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 97,568 | 35.35 | 4 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 76,393 | 27.68 | 3 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 40,480 | 14.67 | 2 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 33,587 | 12.17 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 13,514 | 4.90 | 0 |
| | SNK European Democrats | 5,525 | 2.00 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 8,930 | 3.24 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 275,997 | 100.00 | 10 |

#### South Moravian Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 200,619 | 32.95 | 8 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 186,779 | 30.68 | 8 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 83,687 | 13.75 | 3 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 67,865 | 11.15 | 3 |
| | Green Party | 37,771 | 6.20 | 1 |
| | Other parties | 32,083 | 5.27 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 608,804 | 100.00 | 23 |

#### Olomouc Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 118,334 | 35.45 | 5 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 101,151 | 30.30 | 4 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 49,026 | 14.69 | 2 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 27,609 | 8.27 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 18,398 | 5.51 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 19,331 | 5.79 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 333,849 | 100.00 | 12 |

#### Zlín Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 106,481 | 33.28 | 5 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 101,376 | 31.69 | 4 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 41,663 | 13.02 | 2 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 35,998 | 11.25 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 16,224 | 5.07 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 18,191 | 5.69 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 319,933 | 100.00 | 12 |

#### Moravian-Silesian Region

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Czech Social Democratic Party | 247,382 | 40.54 | 11 |
| | Civic Democratic Party | 171,565 | 28.12 | 7 |
| | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 85,201 | 13.96 | 3 |
| | KDU-ČSL | 43,852 | 7.19 | 1 |
| | Green Party | 26,528 | 4.35 | 1 |
| | Other parties | 35,672 | 5.85 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 610,200 | 100.00 | 23 |