1998 Czech parliamentary election
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Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 19 and 20 June 1998.[1] The Czech Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party, winning 74 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 73.9%.[2]
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19–20 June 1998
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Background
The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) won the 1996 parliamentary elections, subsequently forming a minority government led by Václav Klaus, and supported by the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD).[3][4] The government lasted until 1998, when it resigned during a political crisis that caused the division of ODS and the disintegration of the ruling coalition. Snap elections were called for June 1998.[5][6]
Campaign
ODS was threatened by the creation of a new party, the Freedom Union, formed by former ODS members who left after a dispute with Václav Klaus. ODS was polling at around 10%, with the Freedom Union expected to replace it as the largest right-wing party. ČSSD was expected to win by large margin. ODS launched their campaign with warnings that a new government would contain Communist Party members, and its leader Klaus was featured heavily during the campaign. ČSSD criticised the work of Klaus' cabinet and re-used slogans from the 1996 campaign, as well as promising to fight corruption.[6]
Finances
| Party | Money spent (Kč) |
|---|---|
| Civic Democratic Party | 30,000,000 |
| Czech Social Democratic Party | 30,000,000 |
| Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | 30,000,000 |
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 8,000,000 |
| Freedom Union | 2,000,000 |
| Source: České Noviny | |
Opinion polls
| Polling firm | Date | ODS | ČSSD | KSČM | KDU-ČSL | ODA | US | SPR-RSČ | DŽJ | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEM[7] | January 1998 | 15.0 | 32.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | n/a | n/a | 5.0 | n/a | 27.0 |
| IVVM | January 1998[8] | 15.4 | 28.0 | 8.6 | 11.1 | 5.3 | n/a | 3.5 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| STEM | February 1998 | 12.0 | 29.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 11.0 | 8.0 | n/a | 20.0 |
| IVVM | March 1998[8] | 10.3 | 25.7 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 1.2 | 12.6 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 27.9 |
| STEM | March 1998 | 11.0 | 30.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 18.0 | 8.0 | n/a | 15.0 |
| STEM | April 1998 | 16.0 | 24.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 1.4 | 13.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 15.6 |
| IVVM (for US)[8] | April 1998 | 15.9 | 23.7 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 1.3 | 12.7 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 3.3 |
| IVVM[8] | April 1998 | 11.3 | 25.1 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 0.4 | 12.0 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 23.5 |
| STEM | May 1998 | 16.0 | 25.0 | 11.0 | 9.0 | n/a | 14.0 | 5.0 | n/a | 20.0 |
| IVVM (for US)[8] | May 1998 | 16.3 | 25.4 | 10.5 | 9.0 | 1.3 | 13.7 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 3.2 |
| IVVM[8] | May 1998 | 14.2 | 22.1 | 8.5 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 9.1 | 3.9 | 10.2 | 26.2 |
| IVVM[8] | June 1998 | 15.0 | 22.5 | 7.4 | 7.1 | n/a | 6.8 | 4.2 | 9.0 | 26.8 |
| STEM | June 1998 | 19.0 | 22.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | n/a | 8.0 | 5.0 | n/a | 30.0 |
| Sofres Factum[9] | 10 June 1998 | 19.5 | 26.7 | 9.0 | 6.0 | n/a | 5.4 | n/a | n/a | 12.9 |
| Sofres Factum[9] | 12 June 1998 | 19.1 | 29.3 | 9.1 | 6.0 | n/a | 6.9 | n/a | n/a | 8.3 |
| STEM[9] | 12 June 1998 | 20.7 | 23.2 | 10.3 | 8.8 | n/a | 8.4 | n/a | n/a | 9.1 |
| Sofres Factum[9] | 17 June 1998 | 21.4 | 27.6 | 9.2 | 7.5 | n/a | 7.1 | n/a | n/a | 10.3 |
| Exit Polls | ||||||||||
| IFES and SC&C[9] | 20 June 1998 | 27.1 | 32.2 | 11.4 | 9.2 | n/a | 8.5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | |
| Sofres Factum[9] | 20 June 1998 | 27.0 | 32.0 | 11.0 | 9.2 | n/a | 8.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | |
| Election results | 19-20 June 1998 | 27.7 | 32.3 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 8.6 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
Results
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
| Czech Social Democratic Party | 1,928,660 | 32.31 | 74 | +13 | |
| Civic Democratic Party | 1,656,011 | 27.74 | 63 | –5 | |
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 658,550 | 11.03 | 24 | +2 | |
| KDU-ČSL | 537,013 | 9.00 | 20 | +2 | |
| Freedom Union | 513,596 | 8.60 | 19 | New | |
| SPR-RSČ | 232,965 | 3.90 | 0 | –18 | |
| Pensioners for Life Security | 182,900 | 3.06 | 0 | 0 | |
| Democratic Union | 86,431 | 1.45 | 0 | 0 | |
| Green Party | 67,143 | 1.12 | 0 | New | |
| Independents | 51,981 | 0.87 | 0 | 0 | |
| Moravian Democratic Party | 22,282 | 0.37 | 0 | New | |
| Czech National Social Party | 17,185 | 0.29 | 0 | New | |
| Civic Coalition – Political Club | 14,788 | 0.25 | 0 | New | |
| Total | 5,969,505 | 100.00 | 200 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 5,969,505 | 99.58 | |||
| Invalid/blank votes | 25,339 | 0.42 | |||
| Total votes | 5,994,844 | 100.00 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 8,116,836 | 73.86 | |||
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Volby | |||||
Vote share by district
ODS
CSSD
KSCM
KDU CSL
SPR RSC
