The Parliament of the Czech Republic (Czech: Parlament České republiky) or just Parliament (Czech: Parlament) is the legislative branch of the Czech Republic. It meets in Malá Strana, Prague and is composed of 281 total members and Senators.
Parliament of the Czech Republic Parlament České republiky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 January 1993 |
| Preceded by | • Czech National Council • Federal Assembly |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 281 81 Senators 200 Deputies |
 | |
Senate political groups | Government Support (59)
Opposition (21)
|
 | |
Chamber of Deputies political groups | Government (104)
Opposition (95) Independent (1) |
| Elections | |
| Two-round system | |
| Proportional representation | |
Last Senate election | 20-21 September and 27-28 September 2024 |
Last Chamber of Deputies election | 8–9 October 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Wallenstein Palace, meeting place of the Senate | |
 | |
| Thun Palace, meeting place of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| Website | |
| Senate Chamber of Deputies | |
It consists of two chambers, both elected in direct elections:
- the Upper House: Senate
- the Lower House: Chamber of Deputies
Art. 15 of the Constitution stipulates its name as the "Parliament".[1] The Parliament exercises competences usual in parliamentary systems: it holds and passes bills, has the right to modify the Constitution, ratifies international agreements; if necessary, it declares war, approves presence of foreign military forces in the Czech Republic or a dispatch of Czech military forces abroad.
History
edit
The tradition of modern parliamentarianism in the Bohemian lands dates back to times of the Austrian Empire (and then Cisleithanian part of Austria-Hungary), where the Imperial Council (Reichsrat, Říšská rada) was created in 1861.
After proclamation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 its National Assembly (Národní shromáždění) undertook legislative duties both of the Imperial Council and State Diets (Bohemian, Moravian, Silesian).[2] In 1938–39 and between 1948–89 there existed a parliament within non-democratic regimes (right-wing authoritarian or Communist regime, respectively). As a consequence of federalization of Czechoslovakia (1968), national councils of Czech and Slovak parts of the country were created.
The Chamber of Deputies keeps continuity with the Czech National Council (Česká národní rada), while the Senate was established in 1996 (with reference to the First Czechoslovak Republic one).
External links
edit- psp.cz (official site)
Notes
edit- ^ Tomáš Goláň was elected as non-partisan, nominated by SEN 21, shortly after the election he defected to and became a member of ODS.
- ^ Jaroslav Chalupský is non-partisan, nominated by Svobodní.
- ^
- ODS (18)[a]
- TOP 09 (7)
- Svobodní (1)[b]
- Tábor 2020 (1)
- ProMOST (1)
- Independent (1)
- ^ Hana Žáková, Miroslav Balatka, Miroslav Plevný, Jan Sobotka, Pavel Karník, Helena Pešatová, and Karel Zitterbart are non-partisans, nominated by STAN.
- ^ David Smoljak is a member of STAN, nominated by a coalition of STAN, Pirates and TOP 09.
- ^ Jiří Vosecký is a member of SLK, nominated by STAN and SLK.
- ^ Zdeněk Linhart is non-partisan, nominated by STAN and SLK.
- ^
- ^ Miluše Horská, Josef Klement, and Lumír Kantor are non-partisans, nominated by KDU-ČSL.
- ^
- ^
- ^
- ^
- NEZ (1)
- Independent (1)
References
edit- ^ "The Constitution of the Czech Republic". Prague Castle. 2015. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
- ^ Balík, S.-Hloušek, V.-Holzer, J.-Šedo, J.: Politický systém českých zemí 1848-1989. Brno 2006, p. 81.
