Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 19 and 20 June 1998.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p471 The Czech Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party, winning 74 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 73.9%.Nohlen & Stöver, p472
Background The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) won the 1996 parliamentary elections, subsequently forming a minority government led by Václav Klaus, and supported by the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). The government lasted until 1998, when it resigned during a political crisis that caused the division of ODS and the disintegration of the ruling coalition. Snap elections were called for June 1998.
Campaign ODS was threatened by the creation of a new party, the Freedom Union, formed by former ODS members who left after a dispute with Václav Klaus. ODS was polling at around 10%, with the Freedom Union expected to replace it as the largest right-wing party. ČSSD was expected to win by large margin. ODS launched their campaign with warnings that a new government would contain Communist Party members, and its leader Klaus was featured heavily during the campaign. ČSSD criticised the work of Klaus' cabinet and re-used slogans from the 1996 campaign, as well as promising to fight corruption.
Finances PartyMoney spent (Kč)Civic Democratic Party30,000,000Czech Social Democratic Party30,000,000Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party30,000,000Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia8,000,000Freedom Union2,000,000Source: České Noviny
Opinion polls Polling firmDate ODS ČSSD KSČM ODA US DŽJ Others STEM January 1998 15.0 32.0 10.0 11.0 n/a n/a 5.0 n/a 27.0 IVVM January 1998 15.4 28.0 8.6 11.1 5.3 n/a 3.5 0.6 26.4 STEM February 1998 12.0 29.0 11.0 9.0 n/a 11.0 8.0 n/a 20.0 IVVM March 1998 10.3 25.7 8.0 7.7 1.2 12.6 5.4 1.6 27.9 STEM March 1998 11.0 30.0 9.0 9.0 n/a 18.0 8.0 n/a 15.0 STEM April 1998 16.0 24.0 11.0 9.0 1.4 13.0 6.0 4.0 15.6 IVVM (for US) April 1998 15.9 23.7 10.7 9.1 1.3 12.7 5.7 6.2 3.3 IVVM April 1998 11.3 25.1 10.0 8.0 0.4 12.0 4.6 4.9 23.5 STEM May 1998 16.0 25.0 11.0 9.0 n/a 14.0 5.0 n/a 20.0 IVVM (for US) May 1998 16.3 25.4 10.5 9.0 1.3 13.7 5.1 6.3 3.2 IVVM May 1998 14.2 22.1 8.5 5.8 0.6 9.1 3.9 10.2 26.2 IVVM June 1998 15.0 22.5 7.4 7.1 n/a 6.8 4.2 9.0 26.8 STEM June 1998 19.0 22.0 9.0 7.0 n/a 8.0 5.0 n/a 30.0 Sofres Factum 10 June 1998 19.5 26.7 9.0 6.0 n/a 5.4 n/a n/a 12.9 Sofres Factum 12 June 1998 19.1 29.3 9.1 6.0 n/a 6.9 n/a n/a 8.3 STEM 12 June 1998 20.7 23.2 10.3 8.8 n/a 8.4 n/a n/a 9.1 Sofres Factum 17 June 1998 21.4 27.6 9.2 7.5 n/a 7.1 n/a n/a 10.3 Exit Polls IFES and SC&C 20 June 1998 27.1 32.2 11.4 9.2 n/a 8.5 3.9 3.0 Sofres Factum 20 June 1998 27.0 32.0 11.0 9.2 n/a 8.4 3.8 3.8 27.7 32.3 11.0 9.0 0 8.6 3.9 3.1 3.5
Results
Vote share by district
References