2017 Czech legislative election

In 2014, voters elected 29 out of 81 Senators and approximately 62,300 members of local councils. The Social Democrats won the Senate election but lost many bigger cities, including the capital Prague, to its coalition partner, ANO.[6]

In October 2016, voters elected 675 members of regional assemblies in 13 regions of the nation (except Prague) which then elected their regional leadership. ANO won the election with 21.05%, while the Social Democrats only managed to win two regions – South Bohemia and Vysočina – and 15.25% nationwide. The Communists (KSČM) suffered the biggest loss, winning 10.54% and losing 96 seats in the assemblies. The centre-right ODS won 9.47% nationwide and 76 seats in regional assemblies.[7][8]

Alongside the regional elections, about 2.7 million voters elected 27 of the 81 senators.[9] The KDU-ČSL won these elections with nine new senators, while both ANO and the Social Democrats suffered heavy losses. Even though ANO had 14 candidates in the second round, only three managed to win election. The Social Democrats lost 10 seats, including that of their Vice President of the Senate Zdeněk Škromach. The centre-right ODS had six candidates in the second round, with four of them being elected (including Zdeněk Nytra, who ran as an independent).[10][11]

The coalition government successfully passed many of the policies that had been announced in 2014, such as electronic registration of sales and reverse charging of value-added tax.[12] Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet was considered by pundits and commentators to be stable compared with previous cabinets.[13] However, in early May 2017 a government crisis developed when Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka resigned due to the financial irregularities of Finance Minister Andrej Babiš. Sobotka reversed his decision a few days later following a dispute with President Miloš Zeman over the continuation of the government, and on 24 May 2017, Sobotka dismissed Babiš and replaced him with Ivan Pilný, effectively ending the crisis.[14]

For the first time in Czech elections, campaign spending was limited, with a cap of 90 million CZK (approximately €3,300,000) for each party. A new supervisory body was established, the Office for Supervision of Finances of Political Parties and Political Movements.

The date of the election was announced on 2 May 2017, marking the start of the official campaign.[21] Parties were allowed to register for the election until 15 August 2017. 31 parties registered in total, the highest number ever.[22][23]

At the time of the campaign, the minimum wage in the Czech Republic was 12,200 Czech crowns (around 472 euros).[24] Although the minimum wage had increased by 24.6% since 2010 it was still lower than many other EU member states.[25] Some voters expressed their feeling that wages and public services had been slow to catch up with the richer West, while businessmen were making billions from privatizations and public contracts.[26]

Czech membership of the Eurozone also became a campaign issue, as although the Czech Republic has theoretically accepted the euro, it has not stated when it will adopt it. ČSSD, KDU-ČSL, the Greens and TOP 09 are all in favour of adopting the euro as early as possible, while ANO, the Communist Party and SPD reject it. ODS argue for delaying adoption of the euro, citing the European debt crisis.[27]

ANO, the front-runner in the election, launched its campaign on 3 May 2017, when media outlets owned by party leader Andrej Babiš published an image of Babiš with tape over his mouth, intended as a criticism of ČSSD.[28]

On 10 August 2017, criminal proceedings began against Andrej Babiš, who is accused of subsidy fraud. The Chamber of Deputies was asked to remove Babiš's immunity so that he could be criminally prosecuted. Babiš expressed his view that the purpose of the criminal proceedings was to destroy him politically.[29]

Babiš faced ODS leader Petr Fiala in a debate on 29 September 2017. They clashed over issues including corruption and the economy, but agreed on immigration.[30]

ANO 2011 adopted Eurosceptic policies before the election, including opposition to the Euro, deeper European integration and immigration quotas,[31] but took a more pro-EU stance after the campaign.[32][33] Daniel Kaiser of Echo24 described the party's position on the EU as "Euro-opportunism".[34]

Joint logo of the Coalition of KDU-ČSL and STAN.

KDU–ČSL formed a political alliance with Mayors and Independents, called Populars and Mayors, with the aim of becoming the "third power" of Czech politics. Two-party alliances require 10% of votes to qualify for seats in the parliament. The alliance was dissolved in July 2017 as a result of poor results in opinion polls.

KDU-ČSL began its campaign at the beginning of August 2017, focusing on family, education, innovation and children. Pavel Bělobrádek announced that the symbol of the party's campaign was a house for three generations, with the campaign slogan: "Responsibly."[35] Bělobrádek stated that he would resign if the party's result was worse than the 2013 election.[36]

The centre-right ODS launched their campaign in partnership with the Freeholder Party, which meant that 40 members of Freeholders would stand for election as representatives of the Civic Democrats. The Civic Democrats launched their campaign on 29 May 2017.[37]

ODS launched its electoral program and announced its candidates on 19 April 2017, promising to lower taxes and cut subsidies and social benefits.[38]

On 11 July 2017, the Civic Democrats said that they did not want to bother voters with politics during the summer holiday season, and launched a contest called "We are looking for the Seven Wonders of Czechia", in which voters would nominate interesting places in their regions that were not well known.[39] In August 2017, ODS started its contact campaign, with leaders of the party stating that communication with citizens was the party's strongest electoral weapon. The party organised summer film screenings, projecting the film River Rascals to attract voters to its meetings.[40]

On 17 August 2017, ODS published the Vyšehrad Proclamation, a list of conditions under which the party would join a coalition government, including lower taxes, refusal to adopt the Euro, rejection of immigration quotas, and ending the electronic sales record.[41] The party launched the "hot phase" of their campaign on 1 September 2017, known as "Blue Wave."[42]

On 29 September 2017, party leader Petr Fiala faced Andrej Babiš in a debate at Barrandov. Babiš attacked Fiala over the previous ODS government's record, but Fiala was widely considered to have won the debate, attacking Babiš's politics and his business.[43][44]

The Communist KSČM ran their campaign on an anti-NATO platform.[45]

The Pirates launched their campaign on 22 May 2017, aiming to win 10% of votes. They called for radical tax reforms and changes to government administration.[46]

On 17 October 2017, a 2016 picture of party leader Ivan Bartoš at an Anti-Fascist Action demonstration was published on the social media accounts of nationalist organization Pro-Vlast. Another picture showed Bartoš attending a left-wing demonstration in 2016 held in support of refugees. Bartoš admitted attending the demonstrations and suggested the photos had been used to run a campaign against his persona.[47][48][49]

Following the government crisis in May 2017, polls registered a drop in support for the Social Democrats and ANO, and an increase for the Civic Democrats.[50] A poll by Kantar TNS showing ČSSD in fourth place prompted speculation over Bohuslav Sobotka's position as party leader,[51] and he resigned as leader of ČSSD on 15 June 2017. Milan Chovanec became acting party leader and Lubomír Zaorálek became the Social Democrat candidate for Prime Minister.[52] The party's campaign manager, Jan Birke MP, resigned two days after Sobotka.

The Social Democrats experienced internal party conflict in the South Bohemian Region over the rejection of candidates, including former Governor Jiří Zimola.[53] On 5 June 2017, some ČSSD candidates in the region refused to stand for the party, in protest at the party's decision not to include Zimola on their list.[54]

The Social Democrats launched their campaign and election platform on 19 June 2017.[55][56] On 29 August 2017, Lubomír Zaorálek launched the party's official campaign.[57]

SPD campaigned under the slogan "No to Islam, No to terrorists."[58] It was speculated that Freedom and Direct Democracy would participate in the election together with the Party of Civic Rights, but SPD leader Tomio Okamura announced on 14 February that the party would stand independently. Okamura borrowed 18 million Czech koruna for the campaign.[59]

SPD launched its campaign on 20 July, with the aim of winning over 10%. The party called for a law enabling national referendums to be held more easily, and supported a referendum on leaving the European Union.[60] Polls at the beginning of October showed support for SPD growing.[61]

French politician Marine Le Pen endorsed SPD before the election.[62]

The Greens launched their campaign on 16 June 2017. Matěj Stropnický stated that he hoped the party would receive 6–8% of votes.[63] They received less than 1.5%.

STAN launched its campaign on 27 July 2017, introducing its new logo and election leader Jan Farský.[64]

SPO was supported by president Miloš Zeman. SPO sought to form an alliance with Tomio Okamura's Freedom and Direct Democracy, but Okamura declined.[65]

On 11 August 2017, SPO announced that František Ringo Čech would be its election leader.[66]

The Realists launched their campaign on 14 February 2017, intending to get 20% of votes. Their campaign focused on the introduction of a 15% flat tax and security issues.[67] On 2 June 2017, the party launched their campaign, "Change of style". Members of the party appeared on billboards with their image changed, and were shown in casual clothes.[68]

TOP 09 launched its campaign on 30 May 2017,[69] mainly focusing on being in the "faster lane" of the European Union and adopting the Euro.[70][71]

On 12 July, TOP 09 announced that it would cooperate with the Liberal-Environmental Party.[72]

The public ČT24 broadcast a series of debates with spokespeople from the ten biggest parties on various issues, including national security, healthcare, foreign policy and infrastructure, among others. A debate between the leaders of the ten parties was broadcast on 19 October 2017.[73]