Political system of the Czech Republic Czech Republic

Political system of the Czech Republic

Czech Republic • multi-party parliamentary representative democratic republic • according to the Constitution - the head of the republic – the president - the head of the government – prime minister

Czech Republic • the government is divided into three branches: - the legislative (the Parliament) - the executive (the president, the government) - the judicial (courts at various level)

The president • elected every 5 years (can be elected only twice in a row) • since 2013 – elected in a direct election (by people) – before that he was elected by the parliament • the seat of the president – Prague Castle

The president • Duties: - represents the state abroad - appoints the prime minister - appoints judges, generals of the army - is a commander-in-chief of the army - has the power of veto • declares amnesty • can grant a pardon to a convicted person

Miloš Zeman • the third president of the CR • in office since March 8, 2013 • first directly elected President in the Czech history • his predecessors – V. Havel and V. Klaus – elected by the Parliament • served as the Prime minister (1998 -2002) • leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party (1990 s) • chairman of the Chamber of Deputies (1996 – 1998)

The government • the head of the government – prime minister • other members - the vice-premiers, the ministers • elected every 4 years • appointed by the president • some of the ministries: - Ministry of Defence - Ministry of Finance - Ministry of Education - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Ministry of Transport …

The parliament • consists of 2 chambers - the Chamber of Deputies (200 members) elected every 4 years - the Senate (81 members) elected every 6 years , every 2 years one third of the Senators is renewed • the seat of the parliament – in palaces in Malá Strana, Prague

The parliament The main task: • holds and passes the bills • has the right to modify the Constitution • ratifies international agreements • if necessary – declares a war, approves presence of foreign military forces in the CR or a dispatch of Czech military forces abroad The seat of the Senate – Wallenstein Palace

Political parties • political movement ANO • the Czech Social Democratic Party • Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People’s Party • the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia • TOP 09 • the Civic Democratic Party • movement UPD (Dawn of Direct Democracy) • • ČSSD (50 seats) ANO (47 seats) KSČM (33 seats) TOP 09 (26 seats) ODS (16 seats) UPD (14 seats) KDU-ČSL (14 seats)

Election in the CR • the President - every 5 years - direct election • the Parliament - every 4 years • the Senate – every 6 years (1/3 every 2 years) • every citizen over 18 has the right to vote