The 2012 Regional Council Elections (cz. Volby do krajských zastupitelstev) were held on the 12th and 13th of October in all administrative regions (cz. Kraje) of the Czech Republic, with the exception of Prague. The election was won by the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), which received the most votes in 9 of the 13 regions despite experiencing a significant drop in voter share overall.

Background The previous regional election in 2008 had been won by the ČSSD, who had received the most votes in all participating regions. In the months leading up to the 2012 election support for them decreased, though according to polls they still remained in the lead. Similarly, the center right Civic Democratic Party (ODS) had decreased in popularity. This is likely the result of increasing loss of confidence in the traditional established parties that led to more voters choosing to support non-parliamentary, less powerful parties. Perhaps as a result of this trend, the Czech Communist Party (KSČM), which had been largely politically marginalized since the Velvet Revolution, had seen an increase in support according to polls.

Results PartyVotes(+in coalition)Percent(+in coalition)Number of regions contested(+in coalition)Seats(+in coalition) 2008 2012 2008 2012 2008 2012 2008 2012 ČSSD 1 044 719 621 961 35,85 23,58 13 13 280 205 KSČM 438 024 538 953 15,03 20,43 13 13 114 182 ODS 687 005 324 081 23,57 12,28 13 13 180 102 KDU-ČSL 193 911(+82 566) 153 510(+80 623) 6,65(+2,8) 5,82(+3,01) 6(+6) 5(+8) 43(+19) 42(+25) TOP 09+STAN 35 584(+19 505) 175 089 1,22(+0,66) 6,63 3(+1) 13 7 (+2) 44 SZ 92 057 46 401(+76 462) 3,15 1,75(+2,87) 13 8(+5) 0 0(+8) SPOZ - 81 344(+8 744) - 3,08(+0,33) - 12(+1) - 7 Piráti - 57 805 - 2,19 0 13 - 0

Jihočeský kraj (South Bohemian region) ČSSD won the 2008 election in the region with 33.80% of the vote and formed a coalition with ODS.

Polls Published 18 Oct 2008 3 Sep 2012 19 Sep 2012 21 Sep 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election ppm factum SC&C, STEM/MARK Sanep Election ČSSD33.8019.421.021.127.99 KSČM 15.94 18.6 17.5 17.2 19.37 JIHOČEŠI 2012 - 6.8 9.0 6.9 14.57 ODS 29.63 19.321.0 19.1 12.56 KDU-ČSL 6.95 5.1 6.5 7.1 6.43 TOP 09 and STAN - 12.2 10.0 7.9 5.00 SPOZ - 3.1 2.5 5.0 2.17 Svobodní - 2.1 1.93 DSSS 1 1.20 0.7 2.0 1.81 Piráti - 1.2 2.5 1.79 SZ 3.40 3.9 3.0 4.1 1.67 JKSNK ED and SsČR 2 4.92 1.4 1.55 SBB 3 0.97 1.5 1.02 Others 0.7 4.4 Turnout 40.78 43 38.59 1 "Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - STOP NEPŘIZPŮSOBIVÝM!" is a coalition of the Workers' Party and the Party for Europe, which contested the 2008 election as "Dělnická strana - za zrušení poplatků ve zdravotnictví". 2 South Bohemian coalition of SNK European Democrats and Party for an Independent Czech Republic, which contested the 2008 election as SNK European Democrats. 3 "SUVERENITA - Blok Jany Bobošíkové pro JIHOČESKÝ KRAJ" is a coalition of Sovereignty – Jana Bobošíková Bloc and Sovereignty – Party of Common Sense, which contested the 2008 election as Party of Common Sense.

Results Party20082012Change votes percent seats votes percent seats percent seats Czech Social Democratic Party 68 856 33.80 22 53 736 27.99 18 -5.81 -4 Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 32 484 15.94 10 37 187 19.37 13 +3.43 +3 JIHOČEŠI 2012 - - - 27 972 14.57 9 +14.57 +9 Civic Democratic Party 60 349 26.39 19 24 110 12.56 8 -13.83 -11 Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party 14 170 6.95 4 12 341 6.43 4 -0.52 0 TOP 09 and Mayors for South bohemian region - - - 9 614 5.00 3 +5.00 +3 votes total/turnout/seats 207 867 40,78 55 199 113 38,59 55 -2.19

Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravian region) Czech Social Democratic Party won the 2008 election in the region with 34.84% of votes and formed a coalition with ODS.

Polls Published 18 Oct 2008 1 Oct 2012 8 Oct 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election SC&C, STEM/MARK ppm factum Election ČSSD34.8430.026.427.01 KSČM 14.41 17.5 13.9 18.65 KDU-ČSL 23.89 10.5 11.2 17.03 ODS 15.88 14.5 11.6 9.21 TOP09 and STAN - 7.5 8.9 5.86 "SN" * - 0.6 3.89 SZ 3.64 3.5 3.9 3.68 Piráti - 2.5 1.5 2.49 SPOZ - 4.6 2.45 Nezávislí 1.89 3.0 4.1 2.40 Moravané 0.89 2.5 2.1 1.75 Svobodní - 1.9 1.35 Others 6.5 Turnout 41.05 45 37.76

"Sdružení nestraníků"

Results Party20082012Change votes percent seats votes percent seats percent seats Czech Social Democratic Party 131 615 34.84 26 93 843 27.01 23 -7.83 -3 Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 54 443 14.41 10 64 805 18.65 16 +4.24 +6 Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party 90 254 23.89 18* 59 159 17.03 14 -6.86 -4 Civic Democratic Party 60 005 15.88 11* 32 004 9.21 7 -6.67 -4 TOP 09 and Mayors for South Moravian region - - - 20 379 5.86 5 +5.86 +5 votes total/turnout/seats 377 706 41.05 65 347 336 37.76 65 -3.29 In summer 2010 the coalition collapsed and ODS was replaced by KDU-ČSL.

Karlovarský kraj (Karlovy Vary region) ČSSD won the 2008 election in the region with 31.39% of votes and formed a coalition with the Communist Party and Doktoři (za uzdravení společnosti).

Polls

Published 18 Oct 2008 27 Aug 2012 29 Aug 2012 23 Sep 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election SC&C, STEM/MARK Sanep ppm factum Election KSČM 17.45 23.524.1 16.722.98 ČSSD31.3926.5 24.022.9 22.73 ODS 18.08 15.0 14.3 18.5 9.79 TOP09 and STAN - 8.0 7.1 11.1 7.38 Alternativa *1 9.94 2.0 3.5 5.4 6.70 HNHRM *2 5.93 3.5 3.9 1.3 9.09 Koalice *2 5.0 7.5 4.5 4.66 SZ *2 2.64 Doktoři *3 9.56 - DSSS *4 1.23 2.5 1.3 3.34 SPOZ - 3.0 4.2 5.3 2.83 Svobodní - 2.4 2.44 Piráti - 3.0 3.2 1.8 2.44 LEV 21 - 2.5 2.0 2.05 PB *5 0.33 1.4 1.18 Others Turnout 35.01 45 31.57 1 Alternativa pro kraj (Alternative for the region) 2 Koalice pro kraj (Coalition for the region) is a coalition of the KDU-ČSL, Greens and the movement "O Co Jim Jde?!". In the 2008 election a coalition of the same name consisted of KDU-ČSL and Hnutí nezávislých za harmonický rozvoj obcí a měst (Movement of independents for the harmonic development of municipalities) which did not join the 2012 coalition. 3 Doktoři (za uzdravení společnosti) (Doctors for restoration of society) 4 Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - STOP NEPŘIZPŮSOBIVÝM! is coalition of Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti and Strana pro Evropu, in 2008 election as Dělnická strana - za zrušení poplatků ve zdravotnictví 5 Volte Pravý Blok - www.cibulka.net

Results Party20082012Change votes percent seats votes percent seats percent seats Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 14 443 17.45 8 16 580 22.98 14 +5.53 +6 Czech Social Democratic Party 25 977 31.39 16 16 402 22.73 13 -8.66 -3 Civic Democratic Party 14 967 18.80 9 7 062 9.79 5 -9.01 -4 Movement of Independents for Harmonic Development of Municipalities 4 909 5.93 3 6 558 9.09 5 +3.16 +2 TOP 09 and Mayors for Karlovy Vary region - - - 5 326 7.38 4 +7.38 +4 Alternative 8 228 9.94 5 4 837 6.70 4 +3.24 +1 Doktoři (za uzdravení společnosti) 7 918 9.56 4* - - - - -4 votes total/turnout/seats 82 742 35,01 45 72 130 31.57 45 -3.48 until November 2009

Královéhradecký kraj (Hradec Králové region)

Czech Social Democratic Party won 2008 election in region with 31.94% of votes and formed coalition with Coalition for Hradec Hrálové region and SNK ED.

Polls Published 18 Oct 2008 6 Sep 2012 10 Sep 2012 12 Sep 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election ppm Invenio SC&C, STEM/MARK Sanep Election ČSSD31.94 19.925.522.819.73 KSČM 13.47 12.0 17.0 17.4 19.39 Koalice *1 7.685.47.06.512.07 VPK *1 4.95 ODS 24.3323.0 18.0 16.7 10.62 TOP09 a STAN - 13.4 13.0 8.0 8.25 Východočeši - 3.7 2.0 7.69 Změna *2 3.97 3.6 3.0 3.5 4.09 Patrioti - 0.4 3.97 SPOZ - 2.2 3.5 4.6 2.76 SNK ED 6.02 1.1 2.23 Piráti - 2.7 2.4 1.90 Svobodní - 3.8 2.0 3.1 1.79 DSSS *3 1.02 1.1 1.51 SBB 0.81 1.7 1.09 PB *4 1.28 0.4 1.05 Others Turnout 41.72 41 38.43 1 Koalice pro Královéhradecký kraj is coalition of KDU-ČSL, Hradecký demokratický klub (Democratic club of Hradec) and Volba pro město (Vote for the City), in 2008 election of KDU-ČSL and Nestraníci (Non-partisans) 2 Změna pro Královéhradecký kraj is a coalition of Greens and political movement Změna (Change) 3 Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - STOP NEPŘIZPŮSOBIVÝM! is coalition of Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti and Strana pro Evropu, in 2008 election as Dělnická strana - za zrušení poplatků ve zdravotnictví 4 Volte Pravý Blok - www.cibulka.net

Results Party20082012Change votes percent seats votes percent seats percent seats Czech Social Democratic Party 57 351 31.94 18 32 248 19.73 12 12.21 -6 Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 24 189 13.47 7 31 685 19.39 11 +5.92 +4 Coalition for Hradec Králové region 13 794 8.89 4 19 721 12.07 7 +3.1 +3 Civic Democratic Party 43 688 24.33 13 17 366 10.62 6 -13.71 -7 TOP 09 and Mayors for Hradec Králové region - - - 13 483 8.25 5 +8.25 +5 Východočeši - - - 12 577 7.69 4 +7.69 +4 SNK European Democrats 10 824 6.02 3 3 648 2.23 - -3.79 -3 votes total/turnout/seats 179 522 41.72 45 163 374 38.43 45 -3.29

Liberecký kraj (Liberec region) Czech Social Democratic Party won 2008 election in region with 26.79% of votes and formed coalition with Mayors and independents for Liberec region and Party for the Open Society.

Polls

Published 18 Oct 2008 29 Aug 2012 31 Aug 2012 25 Sep 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election SC&C, STEM/MARK Sanep ppm Factum Election SLK 13.78 11.0 11.9 8.522.21 KSČM 13.89 15.5 17.119.2 17.89 Změna *1 4.94 10.0 7.5 5.7 16.85 ČSSD26.7917.520.2 19.1 13.05 ODS 22.50 15.0 13.4 14.9 9.26 TOP09 a STAN - 12.0 8.7 8.4 3.52 NBPLK *2 - 3.0 3.2 2.5 SOS 6.12 2.0 1.0 2.42 Piráti - 2.0 2.22 SPOZ - 3.0 5.2 4.1 1.71 ČSSR *4 - 1.8 1.70 KDU-ČSL + SsČR *4 3.84 2.5 4.8 1.8 1.69 DSSS *5 0.89 2.0 0.9 1.61 Others Turnout 38.08 43 38.55 1 Změna pro Liberecký kraj (Change for Liberec region) is coalition of movement Změna (Change) and Greens, 2008 election result is that of Green Party 2 Nová budoucnost pro Liberecký kraj (New Future for Liberec region) 3 Česká strana selského rozumu 4 result of 2008 election is for Koalice pro Liberecký kraj, which KDU-ČSL was part of 5 Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - STOP NEPŘIZPŮSOBIVÝM! is coalition of Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti and Strana pro Evropu, in 2008 election as Dělnická strana - za zrušení poplatků ve zdravotnictví

Results Party20082012Change votes percent seats votes percent seats percent seats Mayors for Liberec Region 17 878 13.78 7 28 763 22.21 13 +8.43 +5 Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 18 018 13.89 8 23 167 17.89 10 +4.00 +2 Change for Liberec region 6 415 4.94 - 21 829 16.85 10 +9.91 +10 Czech Social Democratic Party 34 749 26.79 15 16 900 13.05 7 -13.74 -8 Civic Democratic Party 29 187 22.50 12 11 993 9.26 5 -13.24 -7 Party for the Open Society 7 937 6.12 3 3 146 2.42 - -3.70 -3 votes total/turnout/seats 129 668 38.08 45 129 482 38.55 45 +0.47

Moravskoslezský kraj (Moravian-Silesian region) Czech Social Democratic Party won 2008 election in region with 42.63% of votes and formed coalition with Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia.

Polls Published 18 Oct 2008 27 Aug 2012 3 Oct 2012 5 Oct 2012 13 Oct 2012 Company Previous election ppm Factum SC&C, STEM/MARK Sanep Election ČSSD42.6327.333.028.227.40 KSČM 15.92 17.1 23.5 20.3 22.78 ODS 24.90 17.1 14.5 12.7 9.92 KDU-ČSL 7.10 8.0 6.5 7.3 8.60 Nezávislí - 4.9 4.0 4.3 5.72 SPOZ - 3.7 2.5 7.1 4.56 TOP09 a STAN MSK - 7.7 4.0 4.2 4.32 SZ 2.14 2.3 3.0 2.1 2.79 Piráti - 1.0 2.0 2.17 DSSS*1 1.00 1.5 2.0 2.15 KSČ - 0.6 2.05 SNK*2 2.96 1.8 1.58 SBB *3 0.27 0.8 2.3 1.15 Protest *4 - 0.5 1.12 Others Turnout 38.6 41 33.17 1 Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - STOP NEPŘIZPŮSOBIVÝM! is coalition of Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti and Strana pro Evropu, in 2008 election as Dělnická strana - za zrušení poplatků ve zdravotnictví 2 SNK is coalition of SNK ED and Město lidem (City to the people), in 2008 election of SNK ED and Coexistentia