Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

Senate
of the Parliament of the Czech Republic
Senát
Parlamentu České republiky
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
President
Milan Štěch, ČSSD
Since 24 November 2010
First Vice-President
Alena Gajdůšková, ČSSD
Vice-President
Vice-President
Miluše Horská, independent
Vice-President
Structure
Seats 81
Political groups

SOURCE

Elections
Two-round system
Last election
 10–11 October 2014
17–18 October 2014
Meeting place
Wallenstein Palace, Prague
Website
www.senat.cz

The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Czech: Senát Parlamentu České republiky), usually referred to as Senát, is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The seat of the Senate is Wallenstein Palace in Prague.

Structure

Wallenstein Palace in Prague, the main building of the Senate
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The Senate has 81 members, elected for six years, every two years one third of them, in one-seat constituencies through two rounds majority system (the second round is between two candidates with highest number of votes from the first round – if no candidate obtains 50+% majority in the first round). A candidate for the Senate does not need to be on a political party's ticket (unlike the lower chamber).

The senate has one President and four Vice-Presidents.[1] Its members participate in specialised committees and commissions.[2][3]

The Senate Chancellery has been created to provide professional, organisational and technical services. The Senate occupies several historical palaces in centre of Prague, in Malá Strana quarter.[4] In 2005 its budget was 561.2 million CZK.

Powers

The Senate can delay a proposed law which was approved by the Chamber of Deputies but this veto can be overridden by an absolute majority (i.e. at least 101 of all 200 members) of the Chamber of Deputies in a repeated vote. The Senate however cannot be overridden when it votes on constitutional law and on international treaties.

Senate decides on confirmation of judges of the Constitutional Court, proposed by the President, right it often uses to block unacceptable nominees, and may propose new laws. However, the Senate does not get to vote on the country budget and on confidence in the government, unlike the Chamber of Deputies.

The President (Speaker or Chairperson) of the Senate is the second-highest official of the Czech Republic for ceremonial purposes, after the President of the Republic, but without much real power.

History

The Senate was established in constitutional law of the Czech National Council (ČNR) No. 1/1993 on 16 December 1992.[5] The immediate reason for its creation was a need to find a place for members of the Federal Assembly, dissolved together with Czechoslovakia. Other reasons given were the positioning of the Senate as a safety device ("pojistka") correcting laws endorsed by lower chamber and as a power balancing tool against the dominance of a single party.

Due to opposition by the Civic Democratic Alliance (who had members in ČNR, the new lower chamber, but not in the Federal Assembly) and those politicians fearing dilution of power the Senate was not set up. The first elections were held in 1996, with voter turnout around 35% (much lower than turnout for the lower chamber). Further elections were held in accordance with the Constitution every two years after that.

The Senate has received criticism for being essentially powerless and unnecessary for a country of the size of the Czech Republic.

Political parties

The last but one election was held 12-13 and 19-20 October 2012. Results.

2010 Election

 Summary of the 15–16 and 22–23 October 2010 Czech Senate election results
Parties First round Second round Seats
Won		 Not
Up		 Total
Seats		 ±
Votes % Run-off Votes %
Czech Social Democratic Party 290,090 25.28 22 299,526 44.02 12 29 41 +12
Civic Democratic Party 266,311 23.21 19 225,708 33.17 8 17 25  –11
TOP 09 – Mayors and Independents 165,277 14.40 5 51,310 7.54 2 3 5 –4
Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party 87,182 7.60 3 42,990 6.32 2 3 5 +1
NorthBohemians.cz 20,062 1.75 2 23,279 3.42 2 0 2 +2
Independent candidates 21,551 1.88 1 14,944 2.20 1[6] 0 1 +1
Public Affairs 57,179 4.98 1 11,973 1.76 0 0 0 ±0
Independents (NEZÁVISLÍ) 10,739 0.94 1 10,707 1.57 0 0 0 ±0
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 117,374 10.23 0 0 2 2 –1
Sovereignty – Jana Bobošíková Bloc 40,295 3.51 0 0 0 0 ±0
Party of Civic Rights – Zemanovci 17,195 1.50 0 0 0 0 ±0
Green Party 10,473 0.91 0 0 0 0 ±0
Party of Free Citizens 5,447 0.47 0 0 0 0 ±0
Democratic Green Party (Demokratická strana zelených) 3,348 0.29 0 0 0 0 ±0
Czech National Social Party 1,791 0.16 0 0 0 0 ±0
Czech National Socialist Party 1,773 0.15 0 0 0 0 ±0
Bohemian Crown 828 0.07 0 0 0 0 ±0
Others 30,475 2.66 0 0 0 0 ±0
Totals 1,147,390 100.00 54 680,167 100.00 27 54 81 —

History

Composition of the Senate of the Czech Republic
Party Seats
2008 2010 2011 by 2012 TOTAL
Czech Social Democratic Party 22 12 1 13 48
Civic Democratic Party 3 8 — 4 15
TOP 09 – Mayors and Independents — 2 — 2 4
Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party — 2 — 2 4
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 1 — — 1 2
NorthBohemians.cz — 2 — — 2
Czech Pirate Party — — — 1 1
Green Party — — — 1 1
Ostravak Movement — — — 1 1
Independents — 1 — 2 3
Total 26 27 1 27 81
Source: Senate

Constituencies in which the election was held:

  • 2008: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 33, 36, 39 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72, 75, 78, 81
  • 2010: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 79
  • 2011 by-election: 30
  • 2012: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53, 56, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71, 74, 77, 80

Senators and members of the Cabinet

Members of the Senate of the Czech Republic include these:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Senators Senate website
  2. ↑ Senate Committees Senat website
  3. ↑ Senate Commissions Senate website
  4. ↑ Seat of the Senate Senate website
  5. ↑ Ústavní zmìny v dobì od pádu komunismu Bulletin Scientia Politica (Czech)
  6. ↑ Miluše Horská

External links

Coordinates: 50°05′24″N 14°24′19″E / 50.09000°N 14.40528°E / 50.09000; 14.40528

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