1996 Czech Senate election

Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic for the first time on 15 and 16 November 1996, with a second round on 22 and 23 November.^[1] the first after independence. The Civic Democratic Party emerged as the largest party, winning 32 of the 81 seats. Voter turnout was 35% in the first round and 31% in the second.^[2]

1996 Czech Senate election

15–16 November 1996 (first round) 22–23 November 1996 (second round) 1998 →

First party Second party Third party   Leader Václav Klaus Miloš Zeman Josef Lux Party ODS ČSSD Lidovci Seats won 32 25 13 First round 1,006,036 36.48% 559,304 20.28% 274,316 9.95% Second round 1,134,044 49.15% 733,713 31.80% 247,819 10.74%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Jan Kalvoda Miroslav Grebeníček Party ODA KSČM Seats won 7 2 First round 222,319 8.06% 393,494 14.27% Second round 119,730 5.19% 45,304 1.96%

This was the only time Senate elections were held in all 81 single-member constituencies at the same time. Senators elected in 1996 were divided into three classes depending on number of their constituencies to determine which Senate seats would be up for election in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Senators in the Czech Republic are elected for six-year terms, with one-third being renewed every two years.

The elections were held using the two-round system, with an absolute majority required to be elected.

Opinion polls

Date	Polling firm	ODS	ČSSD	KSČM	KDU-ČSL	ODA	SPR-RSČ	Others/Undecided
August 1996	IVVM[3]	15.7	10.4	3.0	2.6	1.5	0.9	65.9
September 1996	IVVM[3]	38.4	21.0	15.3	8.4	6.6	2.3	8.0
October 1996	IVVM[3]	34.6	25.7	12.3	11.2	8.6	1.1	6.6
November 1996	IVVM[3]	40.8	24.1	11.8	9.9	8.0	1.6	3.8

Results

Party		First round			Second round			Total seats
		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	Civic Democratic Party	1,006,036	36.48	3	1,134,044	49.15	29	32
	Czech Social Democratic Party	559,304	20.28	0	733,713	31.80	25	25
	Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia	393,494	14.27	0	45,304	1.96	2	2
	KDU-ČSL	274,316	9.95	1	247,819	10.74	12	13
	Civic Democratic Alliance	222,319	8.06	0	119,730	5.19	7	7
	Free Democrats – Liberal National Social Party	43,895	1.59	0				0
	Moravian–Silesian Coalition 96	26,643	0.97	0				0
	Democratic Union	24,454	0.89	0	14,656	0.64	1	1
	Green Party	21,146	0.77	0				0
	Party for Life Security	16,793	0.61	0				0
	Independents	13,442	0.49	0				0
	Club of Committed Non-Party Members	5,309	0.19	0				0
	Masaryk Democratic Party	4,272	0.15	0				0
	Party of the Democratic Left	4,241	0.15	0				0
	Right Bloc	4,238	0.15	0				0
	Left	3,164	0.11	0				0
	Independent Initiative	2,565	0.09	0				0
	Right Alternative	2,332	0.08	0				0
	Coexistence	1,794	0.07	0				0
	Communist Party of Czechoslovakia	1,640	0.06	0				0
	Czech Right [cs]	1,599	0.06	0				0
	Republican Union [cs]	1,299	0.05	0				0
	National Active Citizens	1,221	0.04	0				0
	Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People	1,181	0.04	0				0
	Party of Entrepreneurs, Sole Traders and Peasants [cs]	901	0.03	0				0
	Humanist Party	715	0.03	0				0
	Republican Party	695	0.03	0				0
	Prague Residents	482	0.02	0				0
	Party of Small Business Owners	431	0.02	0				0
	Democrats 92	288	0.01	0				0
	Roma Civic Initiative	262	0.01	0				0
	Eastern European National Political Movement	13	0.00	0				0
	Independents	117,641	4.27	0	11,993	0.52	1	1
Total		2,758,125	100.00	4	2,307,259	100.00	77	81
Valid votes		2,758,125	98.82		2,307,259	99.30
Invalid/blank votes		32,960	1.18		16,182	0.70
Total votes		2,791,085	100.00		2,323,441	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		7,992,740	34.92		7,594,316	30.59
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Czech Statistical Office