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CZECH REPUBLIC
Poslanecka Snemovna (Chamber of Deputies)

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Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlament / Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senat / Senate
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1921 - 1950
1955
1993 -
LEADERSHIP
President Radek Vondracek (M) 
Notes Elected on 22 Nov. 2017.
Secretary General Jan Moravek (M) 
Notes Appointed on 1 July 2017.
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 200 / 200
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 44 (22.00%)
Mode of designation directly elected 200
Term 4 years
Last renewal dates 20 October 2017
21 October 2017 (View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Chamber of Deputies
Snemovni 4
118 26 PRAHA 1
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (420) 257 17 11 11
Fax (420) 257 53 44 69
E-mail posta@psp.cz
Website
http://www.psp.cz

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlament / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senat / Senate
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 27 September 1995
Last amendment: 5 October 2006
Mode of designation directly elected 200
Constituencies 14 multi-member constituencies ("electoral regions").
Voting system Proportional: Each elector votes for the party list of his/her choice and can also give four preferential votes to individual candidates on the list.
To gain parliamentary representation, each party needs to receive at least the 5 per cent of the votes nationwide. The threshold will be raised to 10 per cent for two-party coalitions, 15 per cent for three-party coalitions and 20 per cent for coalitions of four or more parties. Seats are distributed to parties and coalitions according to the D'Hondt system.
A candidate who receives over 5 per cent of the preferential votes at the regional level will be placed at the top of the party list. In cases where several candidates receive over 5 per cent of preferential votes, they will be placed on the list in descending order based on the total number of preferential votes they receive.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitutes elected at the same time as titular members.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 18 years
- Czech citizenship (including naturalized citizens)
- residence in the country at the time of the election
- disqualifications: restricted freedom of movement for public health reasons or legal incapacity to vote.
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified voters
- age: 21 years
- Czech citizenship (including naturalized citizens)
- ineligibilities: insanity or mental illness, holders of temporary entry permits, undocumented immigrants, members of the Electoral Commission, restricted freedom of movement for public health reasons or legal incapacity to stand for election.
Incompatibilities - President of the Republic
- senator, judge, attorney or State Arbiter
Candidacy requirements - candidates run as political party/coalition members, or as independents on the party/coalition candidate list
- candidatures must be submitted at least 66 days prior to polling day;
- each party/coalition has to pay to the regional authorities a contribution for electoral expenses totalling Kc 15,000 for each regional candidate list it submits

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlament / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senat / Senate
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to)20 October 2017
21 October 2017
Timing and scope of renewal Like the 2013 elections (which led to a three-party coalition government, see note), no party won an outright majority in 2017. Former Finance Minister Andrej Babis' ANO party came first, taking 78 seats in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS, led by Mr. Petr Fiala) came a distant second with 25 seats. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka's Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and another party in the coalition government took 15 seats each. Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD, led by Mr. Tomio Okamura ) and the Pirate Party (Pirati, led by Mr. Ivan Bartos) entered the Chamber of Deputies for the first time, taking 22 seats each.

On 31 October, Mr. Babis announced that he would form a minority government . Other parties reportedly refused to join the coalition due to allegations that Mr. Babis had illegally received a 2 million euro subsidy from the European Union (EU) before entering politics. Mr. Babis denied any wrongdoing and stated that the charges were politically motivated. On 21 November, the day after newly elected Chamber of Deputies was convened, the State prosecutor's office requested the Chamber of Deputies to lift the immunity of Mr. Babis and ANO deputy Jaroslav Faltynek to allow investigations into EU subsidy fraud. On 6 December, President Milos Zeman appointed Mr. Babis as Prime Minister.

During the election campaign, the major parties focused on tax reform and immigration, and in particular, EU quotas for taking in refugees. ANO promised to crack down on corruption, stop deeper EU integration and reject EU immigration quotas.

Note:
Following the 2013 elections, the CSSD, ANO and the Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's party (KDU-CSL) formed a coalition government. In May 2017, Prime Minister Sobotka announced that he would resign along with his Finance Minister Babis, accusing him of tax evasion and other financial improprieties. In late May, President Zeman dismissed Mr. Babis and appointed Mr. Ivan Pilný (ANO) as the new Finance Minister. The three-party coalition remained in place until the 2017 elections.
Date of previous elections: 25 - 26 October 2013

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A*
*The mandate of the outgoing members expired on 26 October 2017.

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: October 2021

Number of seats at stake: 200 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: 7,524 (5,370 men, 2,154 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 28.63%

Number of parties contesting the election: 31

Number of parties winning seats: 8

Alternation of power: Yes

Number of parties in government: 2

Names of parties in government: ANO, Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD)

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 20 November 2017

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Radek Vondracek (ANO)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 1 (from/to)20 October 2017
21 October 2017
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
8'374'501
5'094'633 (60.84%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
ANO
Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD)
Pirate Party (Pirati)
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM)
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD)
Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's party (KDU - CSL)
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 (TOP 09)
Mayors and independents (STAN)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
ANO 78
Civic Democratic Party (ODS) 25
Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) 22
Pirate Party (Pirati) 22
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) 15
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) 15
Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's party (KDU - CSL) 10
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 (TOP 09) 7
Mayors and independents (STAN) 6
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
156

44

22.00%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
Chamber of Deputies (31.10.2017, 17.07.2018)
https://www.volby.cz/pls/ps2017/ps2?xjazyk=CZ
https://volby.cz/pls/ps2017/ps122?xjazyk=EN&xkraj=0&xstrana=0&xv=2
https://volby.cz/pls/ps2017/ps?xjazyk=EN
https://volby.cz/pls/ps2017/ps122?xjazyk=EN&xkraj=0&xstrana=0&xv=1
https://www.reuters.com
http://www.radio.cz/en/
http://www.france24.com/
https://www.politico.eu/

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlament / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senat / Senate
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title President of the Chamber of Deputies
Term - duration: 4 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation (valid if the resolution was adopted by the Chamber), death, dissolution of the Chamber, incompatibility of function, loss of mandate

Appointment - duration: 4 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation (valid if the resolution was adopted by the Chamber), death, dissolution of the Chamber, incompatibility of function, loss of mandate

Eligibility - any Member who has pronounced the oath can be candidate
- notification made by political groups is required, candidatures must be formally submitted to the Electoral Committee 24 hours before the date of the election

Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- two rounds
- majority of 200 votes is required
- if no candidate obtains the majority in the first round, only the two candidates with the largest number of votes are admitted for the second round.
- if no candidate is elected in the second round, the election has to be repeated 10 days later
Procedures / results - the former Speaker of the Chamber (if he has been re-elected in the Parliament), or the oldest Deputy Speaker (if he has been re-elected), or the oldest MP among the newly elected MPs presides over the Assembly during the vote
- the Electoral Committee supervises the voting
- the Chairman of the Electoral Committee announces the results without any delay
- the election must be confirmed by a resolution adopted by the Chamber
- the results can be challenged
STATUS
Status - may be called upon to replace the Head of State in the event of the latter's absence, together with the Prime Minister
- represents the Chamber with the public authorities
- is ex officio Chairman of the Organizational Committee
- in the absence of the President, the Vice- Presidents of the Chamber can assume his/her role and functions
Board
Material facilities - basic remuneration
+ special additional allowance
- official residence in the building of the Parliament
- official car
- secretariat
- body guards
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - organizes the debates
- refers texts to a committee for study
Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- makes announcements concerning the Chamber
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates, after the verification of the records of debates
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates

Special powers - appoints the Secretary General
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber

Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlament / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Poslanecka Snemovna / Chamber of Deputies
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senat / Senate
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation (Art. 26 of the Constitution of 01.01.1993)
Start of the mandate · On the election day (Art. 19 (3) of the Constitution, S. 2 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Central Election Board (S. 12 (6) of the Act No. 247 on Elections to the Parliament of the Czech Republic and on Amendments to Certain Other Acts)
· Procedure (S. 12 (1), and (4) to (6) of the Act No. 247 on Elections to the Parliament of the Czech Republic and on Amendments to Certain Other Acts)
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends - or on the day of early dissolution (Art. 25 (b) and (e) of the Constitution, S. 6 (b) and (e) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies; for early dissolution, see Art. 34 (4) and 35 of the Constitution)
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will (Art. 24 of the Constitution, S. 3 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
· Procedure (Art. 24 and 25 of the Constitution, S. 3 and 6 (c) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the resignation does not need to be accepted
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Loss of mandate for refusal to take the oath of office or taking it with reservations (Art. 25 (a) of the Constitution, S. 6 (a) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
(b) Loss of mandate for loss of eligibility to hold office (Deprivation of competence to make legal transactions; Art. 25 (d) of the Constitution, S. 6 (d) and 8 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
(c) Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (Art. 22 and 25 (f) of the Constitution, S. 6 (f) and 7 and 8 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies).
(d) Loss of mandate by judicial decision:
- Rulings of the Constitutional Court in matters of doubt on the loss of eligibility and on the incompatibility of the post of deputy
- Rulings of the Constitutional Court on corrective means against a decision in the matter of verifying the election of a deputy (see Validation of mandates)
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The President
2. The Vice-President
3. The Chairpersons of committees
4. The Chairpersons of parliamentary groups, according to the number of group members
5. The other MPs
· Outside Parliament: the customary order of precedence ranks the President of the Chamber of Deputies in the 3rd position, the Vice-Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies in the 8th position, and the other deputies in the 12th position.
Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic and official passport (for the latter, see S. 5 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
· Basic salary (see Act No. 236/1995 Coll. on the Salary and Other Indemnities Associated with the Execution of the Office of Representatives of State Power and Some State Bodies and Judges, in the wording of Act No. 138/1996 Coll.): CSK 33,700 per month (increase for deputies with certain functions)
+ Additional allowance: 13th and 14th pay in the course of the calendar year
· No exemption from tax for the basic salary, the 13th and 14th pay, and the transitional moluments (see Others)
· No special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat (see also S. 117 and 118 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
(b) Assistants
(c) Official housing
(d) Official car for the President and the Vice-President, chairpersons of committees and parliamentary groups
(e) Security guards in cases laid down by law (see also S. 119 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
(f) Postal and telephone services
(g) Travel and transport
(h) Others
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 27 (1) and (2) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: conduct during speeches which could otherwise be subject to criminal prosecution, insult, offence (Art. 27 (2) of the Constitution, S. 13 (1) to (3) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies; see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins. It offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate under certain circumstances.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 27 (3) to (5) of the Constitution).
· It applies only to criminal proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from the opening of judicial proceedings against them and from their homes being searched.
· Derogations: in case of flagrante delicto, a deputy may be held in custody. Further procedure (Art. 27 (5) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. However, MPs have the right to withhold testimony about matters of which they have learnt in connection with the performance of their official duties, even after they have ceased to be MPs (Art. 28 of the Constitution).
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate and also covers judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election. However, if the chamber has not been requested (or has not refused) to give its consent, the MP can be prosecuted after the expiry of the mandate.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 27 (4) of the Constitution) (exception: minor offences; Art. 27 (3) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Chamber of Deputies
- Procedure (S. 12 and 29 (2) (b) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies). In this case, MPs can be heard. They do not have means of appeal.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Handbook containing Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies and an overview of legislation on the status and scope of activities of Parliament, on the Chamber of Deputies, its bodies and deputies, etc.
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings, committee meetings, and other bodies of the chamber of which they are members (S. 9 (1) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies, for excuses, see S. 9 (2) to (5) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies).
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (S. 38 of the Act No. 236/1995 Coll. on the Salary and Other Indemnities Associated with the Execution of the Office of Representatives of State Power and Some State Bodies and Judges): deduction of indemnities
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in S. 13 to 19, and 50 (1) (x) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies.
· Specific cases for disciplinary measures:
- Conduct during speeches which could otherwise be subject to criminal prosecution (Art. 27 (2) of the Constitution, S. 13 (1) and 15 (1) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): order to apologise, fine up to one month's pay
- Insult (S. 13 (2) and 15 (1) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): order to apologise, fine up to one month's pay
- Offence (S. 13 (3) and 15 (2) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): warning, fine
- Improper conduct (S. 19 (1) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies): warning, order to leave the meeting room
· Competent body to judge such cases/to apply penalties:
- Conduct during speeches which could otherwise be subject to criminal prosecution, insult, offence: the Mandate and Immunity Committee or another committee; the Chamber of Deputies (appeal)
- Improper conduct: the acting president; the Chamber of Deputies (appeal)
· Procedure:
- Conduct during speeches which could otherwise be subject to criminal prosecution (S. 13 (4), 14 (1), and (3) to (5), 15 (3) and (4), 16 to 18, and 50 (1) (x) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
- Insult (S. 13 (4), 14, 15 (3) and (4), 16 to 18, 50 (1) (x) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
- Offence (S. 13 (4), 14 (1), and (3) to (5), 15 (4), 16, 18, and 50 (1) (x) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
- Improper conduct (S. 19 (2) and (3), 50 (1) (x) of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 22 and 25 (f) of the Constitution, S. 6 (f) and 7 and 8 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies; for the declaration of assets, see Obligation to declare personal assets).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the code of conduct: loss of mandate (Art. 22 and 25 (f) of the Constitution, S. 6 (f) and 7 and 8 of the Act No. 90/1995 Coll. on the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies; incompatibilities)
· Procedure. In this case, MPs have means of recourse.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

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