2002 Czech Senate election

Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic on 25 and 26 October 2002, with a second round on 1 and 2 November.^[1] Voter turnout was just 24.1% in the first round and 31.7% in the second.^[2]

The results saw the Civic Democratic Party emerge as the most successful party, winning nine seats. Independent candidates were also successful, winning eight seats. The parties of the former Four-Coalition were heavily defeated.^[3]

Electoral system

One third of the 81-member Senate is elected every two years, giving Senators six year terms. The seats are elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system.^[4]

Background

Czech Social Democratic Party held 11 Seats in the elected part of Senate. Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party held second highest number of seats - 6. Both parties were part of governing coalition. Opposition Civic Democratic Party held only 5 Seats. Election was considered important due to 2003 Presidential election. Czech Social Democratic Party was considered front-runner of the election while the Civic Democratic Party was expected to be second strongest party.^[5]

Composition of contested seats prior to the elections

	Ideology	Leader	Seats
Czech Social Democratic Party	Social democracy	Vladimír Špidla	11 / 27
KDU-ČSL	Christian democracy	Cyril Svoboda	6 / 27
Civic Democratic Party	Conservatism	Václav Klaus	5 / 27
Civic Democratic Alliance	Liberalism	Jiřina Nováková	3 / 27
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia	Communism	Miroslav Grebeníček	1 / 27
Independents			1 / 27

Opinion polls

Date	Polling firm	ČSSD	KDU-ČSL	ODS	ODA	KSČM	US–DEU
Date	Polling firm
2 November 2002	Result	7	1	9	0	1	1
7 October 2002	SC&C^[6]	12	4	4	0	1	1
November 1996	Previous election	11	6	5	3	1	0

Results


Nominating party		First round			Second round			Total seats
Nominating party		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Total seats
	Civic Democratic Party	165,794	24.88	0	284,537	34.60	9	9
	Czech Social Democratic Party	122,397	18.37	0	224,386	27.29	7	7
	Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia	110,171	16.53	0	57,434	6.98	1	1
	KDU-ČSL	58,858	8.83	0	47,049	5.72	1	1
	Freedom Union – Democratic Union	48,879	7.33	0	36,294	4.41	1	1
	SNK Union of Independents	44,112	6.62	0	45,096	5.48	2	2
	Independents	27,533	4.13	1	23,812	2.90	1	2
	Civic Democratic Alliance	8,846	1.33	0				0
	Liberal Reform Party	7,592	1.14	0	20,069	2.44	1	1
	Vote for the City	7,242	1.09	0	12,587	1.53	0	0
	Path of Change	4,967	0.75	0	18,087	2.20	1	1
	HNHRM	4,576	0.69	0	16,915	2.06	1	1
	Your Vote	3,177	0.48	0				0
	Right Bloc	3,044	0.46	0				0
	Hope	2,858	0.43	0				0
	Green Party	2,639	0.40	0				0
	Party for the Open Society	2,576	0.39	0				0
	United Democrats – Association of Independents	2,165	0.32	0				0
	Active Independent Citizens	1,734	0.26	0				0
	Balbín's Poetic Party	1,455	0.22	0				0
	Rural Party – United Civic Forces	1,240	0.19	0				0
	Moravané	1,181	0.18	0				0
	Civic Coalition – Political Club	1,043	0.16	0				0
	Moravian Democratic Party	532	0.08	0				0
	Choice for the Future	496	0.07	0				0
	Party of Common Sense	489	0.07	0				0
	Conservative Party	480	0.07	0				0
	Party for Life Security	352	0.05	0				0
	Czech National Social Party	187	0.03	0				0
	Democratic League	64	0.01	0				0
	Independents	29,776	4.47	0	36,021	4.38	1	1
Total		666,455	100.00	1	822,287	100.00	26	27

Valid votes		666,455	98.91		822,287	95.89
Invalid/blank votes		7,366	1.09		35,204	4.11
Total votes		673,821	100.00		857,491	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,797,846	24.08		2,708,764	31.66
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Volby

References

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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