Country: | Czech Republic |
Type: | parliamentary |
Previous Election: | 2004 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic |
Previous Year: | 2004 |
Next Election: | 2014 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic |
Next Year: | 2014 |
Seats For Election: | 22 seats in the European Parliament |
Election Date: | 5–6 June 2009 |
Turnout: | 28.22% |
Image1: | JanZahradil.jpg |
Leader1: | Jan Zahradil |
Party1: | Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic) |
Alliance1: | AECR |
Seats1: | 9 |
Popular Vote1: | 741,946 |
Percentage1: | 31.45% |
Swing1: | 1.40pp |
Leader2: | Jiří Havel |
Party2: | Czech Social Democratic Party |
Alliance2: | PES |
Seats2: | 7 |
Seat Change2: | 5 |
Popular Vote2: | 528,132 |
Percentage2: | 22.39% |
Swing2: | 13.61pp |
Image4: | Miroslav Ransdorf (2), EP election campaign, Brno.jpg |
Leader4: | Miloslav Ransdorf |
Party4: | Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia |
Alliance4: | GUE/NGL |
Seats4: | 4 |
Seat Change4: | 2 |
Popular Vote4: | 334,577 |
Percentage4: | 14.18% |
Swing4: | 6.09pp |
Image5: | Zuzana Roithová.jpg |
Leader5: | Zuzana Roithová |
Party5: | KDU-ČSL |
Alliance5: | European People's Party |
Seats5: | 2 |
Popular Vote5: | 180,451 |
Percentage5: | 7.65% |
Swing5: | 1.93pp |
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]
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]
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]
Party | EP Group | Seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
ODS | EPP-ED | 9 | ||
KSČM | GUE-NGL | 6 | ||
SNK ED | EPP-ED | 3 | ||
ČSSD | S&D | 2 | ||
KDU-ČSL | EPP-ED | 2 | ||
NEZÁVISLÍ | IND/DEM | 2 |
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.
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.[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]
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]
Miloslav Ransdorf was announced as electoral leader on 18 September 2008.[15]
Christian Democrats launched election campaign on 9 March 2009.[16] They introduced their candidates on 20 March 2009.[17]
Greens voted Jan Dusík as its electoral leader on 28 February 2009.[18]
Polling Firm | Date | ODS | KSČM | KDU–ČSL | ČSSD | SZ | STAN | Others | Undecided | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CVVM[21] | 2 – 9 March 2009 | 31% | 12.5% | 5% | 29% | 6.5% | 3% | 13% | ||
STEM[22] | 12–13 March 2009 | 23% | 10% | 30% | ||||||
CVVM[23] | 30 March – 6 April 2009 | 26% | 13% | 6% | 28% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 17% | ||
STEM[24] | 21 April 2009 | 27.6% | 14.5% | 6.6% | 30.3% | 6.6% | 5.3% | 9.1% | ||
STEM[25] | 5 May 2009 | 25% | 11.4% | 7.2% | 30.9% | 6% | N.A.% | 6.4% | 13.1% | |
CVVM[26] | 4–11 May 2009 | 33.0% | 13.5% | 5.5% | 25.5% | 5.0% | 6.5% | 10.0% | ||
STEM[27] | 5–12 May 2009 | 20.9% | 8.9% | 5.5% | 24.2% | 3.1% | N.A.% | 11.9% | 25.5% | |
CVVM[28] | 25 May 2009 | 36.5% | 15.5% | 6.5% | 28.0% | 5.5% | N.A.% | 8% | ||
UPOL[29] | 25 May 2009 | 29.1% | 14.8% | 5.5% | 29.8% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.5% | ||
STEM/SC&C<ref>Web site: Česká televize. STEM a SC&C pro ČT: Evropské volby by vyhrála ODS, zelení by neprošli. ČT24. 15 March 2017. cs. | 26 May 2009 | 31.0% | 13.0% | 8.0% | 27.0% | 4.0% | 2.0% | 15.0% | ||
Election | 5 June 2009 | 31.5% | 14.2% | 7.6% | 22.4% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 19.9% | 0% | |
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.[32]
Num | MEP | Sex | Party | EP Group | Period | Pref. Votes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Evžen Tošenovský | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 104,737 | |
2. | Jan Zahradil | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 65,731 | |
3. | Miloslav Ransdorf | Male | KSČM | GUE-NGL | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 61,453 | |
4. | Jiří Havel | Male | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 8 July 2012 | 59,818 | |
5. | Zuzana Roithová | Female | KDU–ČSL | EPP | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 52,503 | |
6. | Richard Falbr | Male | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 44,703 | |
7. | Vladimír Remek | Male | KSČM | GUE-NGL | 14 July 2009 – 15 December 2013 | 40,650 | |
8. | Jan Březina | Male | KDU–ČSL | EPP | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 23,154 | |
9. | Libor Rouček | Male | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 19,771 | |
10. | Hynek Fajmon | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 16,041 | |
11. | Andrea Češková | Female | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 14,477 | |
12. | Oldřich Vlasák | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 11,744 | |
13. | Edvard Kožušník | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 11,567 | |
14. | Miroslav Ouzký | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 9,869 | |
15. | Olga Sehnalová | Female | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 9,386 | |
16. | Jiří Maštálka | Male | KSČM | GUE-NGL | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 8,181 | |
17. | Zuzana Brzobohatá | Female | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 7,736 | |
18. | Milan Cabrnoch | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 7,143 | |
19. | Ivo Strejček | Male | ODS | ECR | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 6,071 | |
20. | Jaromír Kohlíček | Male | KSČM | GUE-NGL | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 5,719 | |
21. | Pavel Poc | Male | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 4,814 | |
22. | Robert Dušek | Male | ČSSD | S&D | 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | 4,042 | |
Source:[33] |