2009 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic

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2009 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
  2004 5–6 June 2009 2014  

22 seats in the European Parliament
Turnout28.22%
 First partySecond party
  JanZahradil.jpg Jiri Havel.jpg
Leader Jan Zahradil Jiří Havel
Party ODS ČSSD
Alliance AECR PES
Seats won97
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 5
Popular vote741,946528,132
Percentage31.45%22.39%
SwingIncrease2.svg 1.40ppIncrease2.svg 13.61pp

 Third partyFourth party
  Miroslav Ransdorf (2), EP election campaign, Brno.jpg Zuzana Roithova.jpg
Leader Miloslav Ransdorf Zuzana Roithová
Party KSČM Lidovci
Alliance GUE/NGL EPP
Seats won42
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 2Steady2.svg
Popular vote334,577180,451
Percentage14.18%7.65%
SwingDecrease2.svg6.09ppDecrease2.svg1.93pp
Result by district (ODS Blue, CSSD orange) Evropsky parlament 2009.png
Result by district (ODS Blue, ČSSD orange)

The 2009 European Parliament election in Czech Republic was the election of the delegation from Czech Republic to the European Parliament in 2009. The Civic Democratic Party has won the election with a surprisingly strong lead against the Czech Social Democratic Party. Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia came third and the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party became the last party to enter the Parliament. [1]

Contents

Two newly founded right-wing parties, the Czech wing Libertas.cz of Declan Ganley's Libertas founded by Vladimír Železný and the Party of Free Citizens, ran in the election. [2]

Background

Previous election was held in 2004. It was won by the Civic Democratic Party that won 30% of votes ahead of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia which received 20% of the votes. Czech Social Democratic Party of Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla was heavily defeated receiving only 9% of votes finishing fourth. [3] Špidle resigned after the election. [4]

Civic Democrats joined European People's Party group after the election as a member of European Democrats. [5] ODS the cooperated with British Conservative Party to establish new Eurosceptic faction within European Parliament. [6]

2004 Seats

PartyEP GroupSeats
ODSEPP-ED9
KSČMGUE-NGL6
SNK EDEPP-ED3
ČSSDS&D2
KDU-ČSLEPP-ED2
NEZÁVISLÍIND/DEM2

Procedure

The 22 of Czech delegation in the European parliament are elected using open list proportional representation, in which they can give preferential votes for up to two candidates on their chosen list. Seats are allocated using the d'Hondt method, with an electoral threshold of 5% nationwide for single parties. Candidates who receive preferential votes from more than 5% of voters are moved to the top of their list, and in cases where more than one candidate receives over 5% of the preferential votes, they are ranked in order of votes received.

Campaign

Politician rallyes in the central part of Prague few days before elections of European Parliament for 2009-2013 term Praha, Nove Mesto, Na Prikope, predvolebni kampan.JPG
Politician rallyes in the central part of Prague few days before elections of European Parliament for 2009–2013 term

Civic Democratic Party

First candidates were introduced on 9 February 2009. Jan Zahradil became electoral leader. Other candidates included Evžen Tošenovský, Oldřich Vlasák etg. Party also launched its election website on the same day. Zahradil stated that ODS will be forced to use negative campaign as reaction to strateg of its opponents. [7] Remaining candidates were introduced on 16 March 2009. [8]

Campaign of Civic Democratic Party (ODS) was launched by electoral leader Jan Zahradil on 13 February 2009. [9] ODS stated that it would invest 40 million CZK to the campaign. [10]

ODS started negative campaign against ČSSD as response to Social Democratic campaigns from previous years. [7] [11] Civic Democrats founded Blue Team to help the party with campaign.

The Civic Democratic Party was active on internet and used social media during its campaign while its main rival and election front-runner Social Democratic Party underestimated internet campaign and Civic Democrats got to lead as a result. [12]

Czech Social Democratic Party

ČSSD planned to invest 30 million CZK. [13] Czech Social Democratic Party was led by Jiří Havel. Party decided to focus on Financial crisis and domestic issues during its campaign. [13] Social Democratic Party was considered front-runner as it was leading in polls but the lead narrowed as the election date was getting closer. The Civic Democratic Party was active on internet and used social media during its campaign and eventually. Social Democrats on the other hand underestimated internet campaign and Civic Democrats got to lead as a result. [14]

Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia

Miloslav Ransdorf was announced as electoral leader on 18 September 2008. [15]

Christian and Democratic Union – People's Party

Christian Democrats launched election campaign on 9 March 2009. [16] They introduced their candidates on 20 March 2009. [17]

Green Party

Greens voted Jan Dusík as its electoral leader on 28 February 2009. [18]

EP list leaders

Campaign Finances

Party ČSSD ODS KSČM KDU-ČSL
Money Spent [19] 60,000,000 Kč40,000,000 Kč17,000,000 Kč2,500,000 Kč

Debates

2009 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic debates
DateOrganisers P Present   A Absent  
ODS ČSSD KSČM KDU–ČSL
2 JuneČeská televize [20] P
Jan Zahradil
P
Jiří Havel
P
Miloslav Ransdorf
P
Zuzana Roithová

Opinion polls

Polling FirmDate ODS KSČM KDU–ČSL ČSSD SZ STAN OthersUndecided
CVVM [21] 2 – 9 March 200931%12.5%5%29%6.5%3%13%
STEM [22] 12–13 March 200923%10%30%
CVVM [23] 30 March – 6 April 200926%13%6%28%5.5%4.5%17%
STEM [24] 21 April 200927.6%14.5%6.6%30.3%6.6%5.3%9.1%
STEM [25] 5 May 200925%11.4%7.2%30.9%6%N.A.%6.4%13.1%
CVVM [26] 4–11 May 200933.0%13.5%5.5%25.5%5.0%6.5%10.0%
STEM [27] 5–12 May 200920.9%8.9%5.5%24.2%3.1%N.A.%11.9%25.5%
CVVM [28] 25 May 200936.5%15.5%6.5%28.0%5.5%N.A.%8%
UPOL [29] 25 May 200929.1%14.8%5.5%29.8%2.9%3.3%3.5%
STEM/SC&C [30] 26 May 200931.0%13.0%8.0%27.0%4.0%2.0%15.0%
Election5 June 200931.5%14.2%7.6%22.4%2.1%2.3%19.9%0%

Media survey

SurveyDate ODS SSO DSSS KDU-ČSL DSZ STAN SNK-ED< ČSSD Others
iDnes [31] [32] 4 May 200924.517.26.04.54.34.12.42.3

Results

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has won the election with 30% and 9 seats. Party's chairman Mirek Topolánek stated that the election showed that ODS is once again an equal rival to Social Democrats. Czech Social Democratic Party finished second with 22% of votes and 6 seats. Party was dissatisfied with the result as it expected a better result. Chairman Jiří Paroubek stated that party was damaged by low turnout but noted that it is improvement as the party received only 8.8% in 2004 election. Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia considered the result as an improvement from 2006 parliamentary election. KDU-ČSL was pleased with the result as the party showed stable support. Other parties failed to reach 5% threshold. Green Party received only 2% of votes. Chairman Martin Bursík decided to resign as a result. Sovereignty led by MEP Jana Bobošíková received 4% and narrowly failed to win any seats. [33]

European Parliament 2009 Czech result.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Civic Democratic Party 741,94631.4590
Czech Social Democratic Party 528,13222.397+5
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 334,57714.184–2
KDU-ČSL 180,4517.6520
Sovereignty 100,5144.260New
European Democratic Party 68,1522.890New
Public Affairs 56,6362.400New
Mayors and Independents – Your Option53,9842.290New
Green Party 48,6212.0600
SNK European Democrats 39,1661.660–3
Party of Free Citizens 29,8461.270New
Workers' Party 25,3681.0800
Right Bloc 23,6121.0000
Libertas.cz 22,2430.940New
Party for Dignified Life 17,0610.720New
Democratic Party of Greens 14,7610.630New
Independents 12,8240.540–2
Moravané 9,0860.390New
SPR-RSČ 7,4920.3200
Nejen hasiči a živnostníci s učiteli do Evropy6,9040.290New
National Party 6,2630.270New
Humanist Party4,5840.1900
Freeholder Party of the Czech Republic 4,5440.190New
Koruna Česká 4,4490.1900
Greens3,7170.160New
Balbín's Poetic Party3,7110.1600
Czech National Socialist Party 3,2690.140New
Liberals.cz 1,7750.080New
United Democrats – Association of Independents 1,5010.060New
Party of Free Democrats1,4230.060New
Democracy and Freedom Party9860.040New
Czech National Social Party 7910.030New
People and Politics5450.020New
Total2,358,934100.0022–2
Valid votes2,358,93499.49
Invalid/blank votes12,0750.51
Total votes2,371,009100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,401,37428.22
Source: Volby

European groups

PartySeats+/–
European Conservatives and Reformists 9New
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats 7+5
European United Left–Nordic Green Left 4–2
European People's Party 2–12
Independence/Democracy 0–2
Total22–2

Elected MEPs

NumMEPSexPartyEP GroupPeriodPref. Votes
1. Evžen Tošenovský MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014104,737
2. Jan Zahradil MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 201465,731
3. Miloslav Ransdorf MaleKSČMGUE-NGL14 July 2009 – 30 June 201461,453
4. Jiří Havel MaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 8 July 201259,818
5. Zuzana Roithová FemaleKDU–ČSLEPP14 July 2009 – 30 June 201452,503
6. Richard Falbr MaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 201444,703
7. Vladimír Remek MaleKSČMGUE-NGL14 July 2009 – 15 December 201340,650
8. Jan Březina MaleKDU–ČSLEPP14 July 2009 – 30 June 201423,154
9. Libor Rouček MaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 201419,771
10. Hynek Fajmon MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 201416,041
11. Andrea Češková FemaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 201414,477
12. Oldřich Vlasák MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 201411,744
13. Edvard Kožušník MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 201411,567
14. Miroslav Ouzký MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 20149,869
15. Olga Sehnalová FemaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 20149,386
16. Jiří Maštálka MaleKSČMGUE-NGL14 July 2009 – 30 June 20148,181
17. Zuzana Brzobohatá FemaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 20147,736
18. Milan Cabrnoch MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 20147,143
19. Ivo Strejček MaleODSECR14 July 2009 – 30 June 20146,071
20. Jaromír Kohlíček MaleKSČMGUE-NGL14 July 2009 – 30 June 20145,719
21. Pavel Poc MaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 20144,814
22. Robert Dušek MaleČSSDS&D14 July 2009 – 30 June 20144,042
Source: [34]

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