Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic on 25 and 26 October 2002, with a second round on 1 and 2 November.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 Voter turnout was just 24.1% in the first round and 31.7% in the second.Nohlen & Stöver, p472
The results saw the Civic Democratic Party emerge as the most successful party, winning nine seats. Independent candidates were also successful, winning eight seats. The parties of the former Four-Coalition were heavily defeated.
Electoral system One third of the 81-member Senate is elected every two years, giving Senators six year terms. The seats are elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system.
Background Czech Social Democratic Party held 11 Seats in the elected part of Senate. Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party held second highest number of seats - 6. Both parties were part of governing coalition. Opposition Civic Democratic Party held only 5 Seats. Election was considered important due to 2003 Presidential election. Czech Social Democratic Party was considered front-runner of the election while the Civic Democratic Party was expected to be second strongest party.
Composition of contested seats prior to the elections Name Ideology Leader Seats Czech Social Democratic Party Social democracy Vladimír Špidla KDU-ČSL Christian democracy Cyril Svoboda Civic Democratic Party Conservatism Václav Klaus Civic Democratic Alliance Liberalism Jiřina Nováková Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia Communism Miroslav Grebeníček Independents
Opinion polls Date Polling firm ČSSD KDU-ČSL ODS ODA KSČM US–DEU 2 November 2002 Result 7 19 0 1 1 7 October 2002 SC&C12 4 4 0 1 1 November 1996 Previous election11 6 5 3 1 0
Results
References