1996 Czech legislative election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 31 May and 1 June 1996,[1] the first after independence. The result was a victory for the Civic Democratic Party, which won 68 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 76.3%.[2]

1996 Czech legislative election

31 May and 1 June 1996
All 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 101 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Václav Klaus Miloš Zeman Miroslav Grebeníček Party ODS ČSSD KSČM Seats won 68 61 22 Seat change 8 45 13 Popular vote 1,794,560 1,602,250 626,136 Percentage 29.62% 26.44% 10.33% Swing 0.11pp 19.91pp 3.72pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Josef Lux Miroslav Sládek Jan Kalvoda Party KDU–ČSL SPR–RSČ ODA Seats won 18 18 13 Seat change 3 4 1 Popular vote 489,349 485,072 385,369 Percentage 8.08% 8.01 6.36 Swing 1.80pp 2.03pp 0.43pp
Districts won by respective parties
PM before election Václav Klaus ODS Elected PM Václav Klaus ODS

Campaign

Campaign prior election was led primarily as a conflict between right-wing ODS and left-wing ČSSD. ODS used slogans "Freedom and Prosperity" and "We proved that we can." ČSSD used slogan "Humanity against selfishness." ČSSD used an autobus called "Zemák" during its campaign. Party's leader Miloš Zeman campaigned with it at multiple places over the Czech Republic. ODS on the other hand used endorsements of public celebrities such as Lucie Bílá. Both parties used meetings with voters as their campaign instrument.[3]

Finances

Party	Money spent (Kč)
Civic Democratic Party	127,000,000
Czech Social Democratic Party	80,000,000
Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party	55,000,000
Civic Democratic Alliance	40,000,000
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia	8,000,000
Source: České Noviny

Opinion polls

Date	Polling firm	ODS	ČSSD	KSČM	KDU-ČSL	SPR-RSČ	ODA	DŽJ	DEU	SD-LSNS	LB	Others
31 May–1 June	Election results	29.6	26.4	10.3	8.1	8.0	6.4	3.1	2.8	2.1	1.4	1.8
May 1996	STEM[4]	24.0	19.3	10.3	8.7	7.1	9.1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
4–7 May 1996	IVVM[5]	21.8	17.7	7.3	7.1	5.8	5.8	2.8	2.3	1.9	3.3
April	IVVM	25.5	15.5	6.2	8.9	5.0	6.8	1.9	1.4	1.9	4.5
March	IVVM	25.5	15.3	6.0	6.7	4.7	8.1	1.2	1.7	1.9	4.2
February	IVVM	24.7	15.9	6.5	9.1	4.4	8.1	0.9	1.2	3.2	3.8
January	IVVM	27.2	17.3	7.1	6.7	4.7	6.6	0.7	0.8	2.0	4.7

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Civic Democratic Party	1,794,560	29.62	68	–
Czech Social Democratic Party	1,602,250	26.44	61	+45
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia	626,136	10.33	22	–13
KDU-ČSL	489,349	8.08	18	+3
SPR-RSČ	485,072	8.01	18	+4
Civic Democratic Alliance	385,369	6.36	13	–1
Pensioners for Life Security	187,455	3.09	0	0
Democratic Union	169,796	2.80	0	New
Free Democrats - Liberal National Social Party	124,165	2.05	0	New
Left Bloc	85,122	1.40	0	New
Independents	30,125	0.50	0	New
Moravian Centre Union	27,490	0.45	0	New
HSMSMNSJ	25,198	0.42	0	New
Moravian National Party	16,580	0.27	0	New
Democratic Left Party	7,740	0.13	0	New
Czech Right	2,808	0.05	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	37,189	–	–	–
Total	6,096,404	100	200	0
Registered voters/turnout	7,990,770	76.3	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Popular vote ODS   29.62% ČSSD   26.44% KSČM   10.33% KDU-ČSL   8.08% SPR-RSČ   8.01% ODA   6.36% DŽJ   3.09% DEU   2.80% CSNS   2.05% LB   1.40% Others   1.82%

Parliamentary seats ODS   34.00% ČSSD   30.50% KSČM   11.00% KDU-ČSL   9.00% SPR-RSČ   9.00% ODA   6.50%

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p472
3. "Kampaň k volbám do Poslanecké sněmovny 1996 | IPM". IPM (in Czech). Retrieved 18 December 2017.
4. "98-4" (PDF). Statspol. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
5. "Volebni preference". zpravodajstvi.ecn.cz. Retrieved 1 August 2016.