constitutional framework
system
stability?
Constitution adopted in 1992.
System of parliamentary democracy (difference from presidential or semi-presidential regimes).
Division of power
Constitution shows a high stability.
The exception is the change in 2012 (direct election of the president)
division of power
Executive:
government (prime minister + ministers),
president.
Bicameral legislature: = 2 Chambers
Chamber of Deputies,
Senate.
senate is less powerful than the deputies
System of independent courts.
system of parliamentary democracy
System of Parliamentary demorcracy = Parliament is the Most Important Body of the consitutional Framework = key political Institution
Parliament
bicameral legislature (like germany, poland, austria ; UNLIKE slovakia / Skandinavia = univameral)
chamber of deputies
senate
200 MP
stronger position compared to senate
MPs may override senators
MPs = Members of Parliament
81 senators
they can block changes of constitution and electoral laws, all other cases the deputies can overvote the senators
senators do not debate a budget bill , just debated in chamber of deputies
electoral system - chamber of deputies
proportional electoral system (usual in europe)
share of seats equals approx. share of votes
14 electoral constituencies (main parties run in all of the districts)
candidates run on candidate lists (not based on individual persons, parties should be strong, united etc )
there is a legal threshold - 5 % —> you need to have at least 5% of the votes as a party to get seats
preferential voting is possible
MPs are elected for 4 YEARS
electoral system - senate
majority two round system
absolute (50%+) majority wins —>if in the first round nobody gets more than 50%, next round only the two with most votes compete
senators are elected for 6 years
every 2 years, one third is newly elected
Senators arent not so close to the parties, more closer to their district, to represent all districts of CR
81 districts —> 81 senators voted
government / cabinet
It is the supreme body of executive power.
It consists of three parts:
prime minister,
deputy prime ministers,
ministers.
government creation
Government is accountable to the Chamber of Deputies.
After elections: a new government must ask the Chamber of Deputies for a vote of confidence. (government has to receive majority of votes)
Government can be anytime recalled by the Chamber of Deputies. (How? Specific number of deputies – mostly opposition - ask for the vote of no-confidence —> you need absolute majority – 101 votes - for recall the government)
Prime ministers are appointed by the President.
Ministers are appointed by the President on the proposal of the PM
Powers of the Government
o 70% of bill proposals come from the government (G submits majority of bills)
o Runs administrative agencies
o Has a right to issue directives
o Government members may be parliament members
Governments (until now) in CR
o CR in normal its needed to form coalition bc its unusual for a party to reach enough seats to have majority (101)
o 1993-2003: Vaclav havel
o 2003-2013: Vaclav Klaus
o 2013-2023: Milos Zeman
o 2023 – x: Petr Pavel
o Change: 2013-2023: populism movement from Andrej Babis, still very popular, he wasn’t able to form coalition, that’s why Petr fiala got to power
Levels of Governance
o CR is an unitary state
—> Therefore it is a single government body (different from federations, such as Germany)
—> Three tiers in total:
state- regions-municipalities
regions in CR
numbers
competences
—> 14 regions
—> Regions assemblies, regional majors, regional governments
—> Competences are in health care, regional transportation, secondary education
Municipalities
number
competence
- 6254 municipalities
- One of the highest fragmentations in the EU
—> With councilors, mayors, local governments
—> Competences are primary education or local transportation
—> Often not contested at all bc you don’t have enough candidates
judical power
o District, regional, high, Supreme Court
o Supreme administrative court (purposes of conflicts between Ministerien, agencies, offices)
o Constitutional court (defender of the constitutions, basic right of the people, 50 judges, selected for 10 years, by president, but needs to have approval by senate)
president
formal powers?
election
- Head of the state but not chief executer
- With rather weak formal powers
o No right to direct the government alone (he can join meetings, but can’t direct them)
o Not accountable for the acts resulting from the execution of his office
- He is directly elected since 2012
o This increased his power (no other politician who is elected directly )
o The difference is a greater legitimacy
o Elected for 5 years, only two terms are possible
powers of the president
Independent
Legislative veto (but still can be overvoted by the deputies), no absolute veto
Right to speak in the parliament
Right to ask constitutional court to review a law
Appoints members of the central bank (independently)
Right to attend cabinet meetings and discuss policies with minister
Shared
Foreign policy (but SharePoint with foreign ministers e.g.)
Right to appoint members of the consitutional court
contingent
government formation process
Dissolution of the chamber of deputies
paradox of the president
o Few power vs. Influential role in the Czech politics
o One of the most important issues /central topics of political and scholarly debates
o What are the reasons?
—> Historical ones (Masaryk => leading politician, highly respected, establish a new state, tried to establish many aspects of US regime bc he was a fan)
—> Highly prestigious office in the Prague castle (highest located building in Prague, „whole CR below you“)
—> Presidents are active/activist figures (Václav Havel …)
direct election of the president
advantages
diadvantages
People‘s wish.
Greater legitimacy for the president.
President is independent of parties.
Indirect election was full of dirty tricks.
Strengthening democracy.
disadvantages
Not a systemic step in a parliamentary regime.
Greater risk of conflict with the government.
More expensive.
Greater risk of a populist‘s victory.
Parliamentary election worked.
negative consequences of direct elections of the president
President in more powerful (instead CR would need a more powerful government)
Frequent conflicts between the president and the government
President shows less respect for formal and informal rules
· Rusnok technocratic cabinet 2013
· Reject to appoint/dismiss ministers
Vaclas Havel
o Former writer and dissident.
o Leader of the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
o Became president already in 1989.
o He supported “non-political politics”.
o Influential politician who was willing to employ controversial actions.
o Respected figure even after his presidency.
vaclav klaus
o Former economist.
o Leader of the democratic economic transformation.
o Founder of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).
o Prime minister since 1992 to 1997.
o As a president, he predominantly respected political system.
o He was known for his anti-EU and anti-environmental standpoints.
o After his presidency, he has flirted with more radical political streams.
Milos Zeman
o He helped to establish the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) as one of the main parties.
o He was a prime minister from 1998 to 2002.
o After unsuccessful candidacy for a presidency in 2003, he retired.
o He won the first direct presidential election in 2013.
o Failed attempt to transform the parliamentary regime.
o Famous of his support towards autocratic regimes and populist politicians.
Petr Pavl
o Former highest military representative in NATO.
o Won the third direct presidential election in 2023.
o His campaign was based on the promise of order and calmness.
o He has been criticized for a lack of political experience
Last changeda year ago
