1996 Czech Senate election
15–16 November 1996 (first round)
22–23 November 1996 (second round)		 1998 →
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Václav Klaus Miloš Zeman Josef Lux
Party ODS ČSSD Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party
Seats won 32 25 13
First round 1,006,036
36.48% 		559,304
20.28% 		274,316
9.95%
Second round 1,134,044
49.15% 		733,713
31.80% 		247,819
10.74%
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Jan Kalvoda Miroslav Grebeníček
Party ODA KSČM
Seats won 7 2
First round 222,319
8.06% 		393,494
14.27%
Second round 119,730
5.19% 		45,304
1.96%
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Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic for the first time on 15 and 16 November 1996, with a second round on 22 and 23 November.[1] the first after independence. The result was a victory for the Civic Democratic Party, which won 32 of the 81 seats. Voter turnout was 34.9% in the first round and 30.6% in the second.[2]

This was the only time Senate elections were held in all 81 single-member constituencies at the same time. Senators elected in 1996 were divided into three classes depending on number of their constituencies to determine which Senate seats would be up for election in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Senators in the Czech Republic are elected for six-year terms, with one-third being renewed every two years.

The elections were held using the two-round system, with an absolute majority required to be elected.

Opinion polls

Date Polling firm ODS ČSSD KSČM KDU-ČSL ODA SPR-RSČ Others/Undecided
August 1996 IVVM[3] 15.7 10.4 3.0 2.6 1.5 0.9 65.9
September 1996 IVVM[3] 38.4 21.0 15.3 8.4 6.6 2.3 8.0
October 1996 IVVM[3] 34.6 25.7 12.3 11.2 8.6 1.1 6.6
November 1996 IVVM[3] 40.8 24.1 11.8 9.9 8.0 1.6 3.8

Results

PartyFirst roundSecond roundTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Civic Democratic Party1,006,03636.4831,134,04449.152932
Czech Social Democratic Party559,30420.280733,71331.802525
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia393,49414.27045,3041.9622
KDU-ČSL274,3169.951247,81910.741213
Civic Democratic Alliance222,3198.060119,7305.1977
Czech National Social Party43,8951.5900
Moravian–Silesian Coalition 9626,6430.9700
Democratic Union24,4540.89014,6560.6411
Green Party21,1460.7700
Party for Life Security16,7930.6100
Independents13,4420.4900
Club of Committed Non-Party Members5,3090.1900
Masaryk Democratic Party4,2720.1500
Party of the Democratic Left4,2410.1500
Right Bloc4,2380.1500
Left3,1640.1100
Independent Initiative2,5650.0900
Right Alternative2,3320.0800
Coexistence1,7940.0700
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia1,6400.0600
Czech Right1,5990.0600
Republican Union1,2990.0500
National Active Citizens1,2210.0400
Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People1,1810.0400
Party of Entrepreneurs, Sole Traders and Peasants9010.0300
Humanist Party7150.0300
Republican Party6950.0300
Prague Residents4820.0200
Party of Small Business Owners4310.0200
Democrats 922880.0100
Roma Civic Initiative2620.0100
Eastern European National Political Movement130.0000
Independents117,6414.27011,9930.5211
Total2,758,125100.0042,307,259100.007781
Valid votes2,758,12598.822,307,25999.30
Invalid/blank votes32,9601.1816,1820.70
Total votes2,791,085100.002,323,441100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,992,74034.927,594,31630.59
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Czech Statistical Office

References

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p472
  3. ^ a b c d "Nesstar WebView". nesstar.soc.cas.cz. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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