| Country: | Czech Republic |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2017 Czech parliamentary election |
| Previous Year: | 2017 |
| Outgoing Members: | List of MPs elected in the 2017 Czech legislative election |
| Election Date: | 8–9 October 2021 |
| Elected Members: | List of MPs elected in the 2021 Czech legislative election |
| Next Election: | Next Czech parliamentary election |
| Next Year: | Next |
| Seats For Election: | All 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies |
| Majority Seats: | 101 |
| Opinion Polls: | Opinion polling for the 2021 Czech parliamentary election |
| Turnout: | 65.39% (4.60 pp) |
| Leader1: | Andrej Babiš |
| Party1: | ANO 2011 |
| Alliance1: | – |
| Alliance1 Name: | no |
| Last Election1: | 29.64%, 78 seats |
| Seats1: | 72 |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,458,140 |
| Percentage1: | 27.13% |
| Swing1: | 2.51 pp |
| Leader2: | Petr Fiala |
| Party2: | Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic) |
| Alliance2: | Spolu (Czech Republic) |
| Last Election2: | 22.44%, 42 seats |
| Seats2: | 71 |
| Seat Change2: | 29 |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,493,905 |
| Percentage2: | 27.79% |
| Swing2: | 5.35pp |
| Alliance4: | Pirates and Mayors |
| Leader4: | Ivan Bartoš |
| Party4: | Czech Pirate Party |
| Last Election4: | 15.98%, 28 seats |
| Seats4: | 37 |
| Seat Change4: | 9 |
| Popular Vote4: | 839,776 |
| Percentage4: | 15.62% |
| Swing4: | 0.36pp |
| Leader5: | Tomio Okamura |
| Party5: | Freedom and Direct Democracy |
| Alliance5: | – |
| Alliance5 Name: | no |
| Last Election5: | 10.64%, 22 seats |
| Seats5: | 20 |
| Seat Change5: | 2 |
| Popular Vote5: | 513,910 |
| Percentage5: | 9.56% |
| Swing5: | 1.08pp |
| Prime Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Prime Minister after election |
| Before Election: | Andrej Babiš |
| Before Party: | ANO |
| After Election: | Petr Fiala |
| After Party: | Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic) |
Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 8 and 9 October 2021. All 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected, with the leader of the resulting government to become the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Following the 2017 parliamentary elections, the country had been ruled by a minority government consisting of ANO 2011 (ANO), led by prime minister Andrej Babiš, and the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), led by interior minister Jan Hamáček, with confidence and supply support from the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) until April 2021. The largest opposition party was the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), followed by the Czech Pirate Party. Other parties in the Chamber of Deputies included SPD, TOP 09, STAN, and KDU-ČSL.
Babiš ran again as leader of ANO, and the main opposition parliamentary parties formed two electoral alliances, SPOLU and Pirates and Mayors (abbreviated to PirStan or PaS). ANO was front runner of the election, as it was polling first ahead of SPOLU and PirStan prior to the election.[1] [2] [3] The result was a surprise victory for the liberal conservative alliance SPOLU, which received the highest number of votes, while the populist ANO received the highest number of seats.[4] No opinion poll placed Spolu in the first place prior to the vote.[5] It was the closest parliamentary election in the history of Czech Republic.[6]
The opposition parties won a majority in the Chamber of Deputies and agreed to form a coalition government with SPOLU leader Petr Fiala as the new prime minister.[7] [8] [9] Traditional left-wing parties ČSSD and KSČM failed to reach the 5% threshold to win any seats in the Chamber of Deputies for the first time since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993.[10] The Pirates, which were one of the leading opposition parties, were heavily defeated due to preferential votes and won just 4 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.[11] Petr Fiala was appointed as the new Prime Minister on 28 November 2021 while rest of the new cabinet was appointed on 17 December 2021.
See also: 2017 Czech parliamentary election. According to the Constitution of the Czech Republic, an election to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Czech parliament, must be held every four years. The government is answerable to the Chamber of Deputies and remains in power only with the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. Article 19(1) of the constitution states that any citizen of the Czech Republic who has right to vote and is 21 years old is eligible to serve as an MP.[12]
ANO 2011 (ANO) emerged as the largest party in the 2017 parliamentary election and formed a minority government, which then lost a vote of confidence on 16 January 2018. The party formed a coalition government with the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), supported by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), which lasted until April 2021. Andrej Babiš became the new prime minister. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) emerged as the second largest party and main opposition party, narrowly ahead of the Czech Pirate Party.[13]
See main article: 2018 Czech municipal elections and 2018 Czech Senate election. In 2018, voters elected 27 of 81 members of the Senate and approximately 61,900 members of local councils. ODS won the Senate election with 10 senators elected.[14] ANO won the municipal elections in most regional cities, with ODS finishing first in Prague and STAN in Liberec.[15] ČSSD and KSČM lost over half of their votes and seats in municipal councils.[16] [17]
See main article: 2019 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic. In May 2019, voters elected 21 members of the European Parliament. ANO came first, with ODS and the Pirates close behind in number of seats. As ČSSD failed to achieve more than 5 percent of votes in national elections for the first time since the mid-1990s, it did not get any seat.[18] [19] [20]
See main article: 2020 Czech regional elections and 2020 Czech Senate election. In October 2020, voters elected 675 members of regional assemblies in 13 regions of the nation, except Prague, which then formed regional governments. ANO won the election with 21.8% of votes but opposition parties, especially the Pirates, made gains, while allies of ANO were heavily defeated.[21] [22] [23] The governing parties were also heavily defeated in the Senate elections, which were won by Mayors and Independents ahead of ODS.[24]
Following these elections, opposition parties began negotiations about potential electoral alliances. It was speculated that two electoral blocs would be formed: a conservative bloc led by ODS, which would also include KDU-ČSL and TOP 09, with Petr Fiala as leader, and a liberal bloc composed of the Pirates and Mayors and Independents, with Ivan Bartoš as the leader.[25]
The ODS leadership agreed to form an alliance on 25 October 2020, with a memorandum to be signed two days later.[26] On 27 October 2020, Fiala, Marian Jurečka, and Markéta Pekarová Adamová announced that ODS, KDU-ČSL, and TOP 09 would form an electoral alliance for the next parliamentary election, with ODS leader Fiala as the alliance's candidate for prime minister.[27] On 11 November 2020, the parties agreed that ODS would nominate the leaders of the election lists in nine regions, KDU-ČSL in three regions, and TOP 09 in two regions.[28] The name of the alliance was announced as SPOLU, meaning "Together" in English.[29] Fiala was confirmed as the alliance's candidate for prime minister on 16 December 2020.[30]
The leadership of Mayors and Independents agreed to start negotiations on 8 October 2020.[31] The Pirates are required to ratify any alliance in a members' referendum. In a poll on 20 October 2020, 51% of Pirate members were opposed to the alliance while 43% supported it. The referendum to starting negotiations for an alliance was originally scheduled for 13 to 16 November 2020[32] but was rescheduled for 20 to 23 November 2020.[33] Among Pirate members, 695 out of 858 voted in favour of negotiations, with a turnout of 80%.[34] Ivan Bartoš was nominated to be the Pirate's election leader on 25 November 2020,[35] and was confirmed on 2 December 2020. The Pirates also offered the Green Party the possibility to join its electoral list.[36] Bartoš was confirmed as the alliance's electoral leader on 14 December 2020.[37] Pirate members voted to approve the alliance on 13 January 2021.[38]
ČSSD started to negotiate the formation of a third electoral bloc in January 2021, negotiating with the Green Party and some regional parties about the formation of a left-wing electoral alliance.[39] The Green Party stated as a condition for joining an alliance that the parties would not form a government coalition with ANO after the election.[40]
In early 2021, the Tricolour Citizens' Movement, Svobodní, the Freeholder Party of the Czech Republic, and other minor parties began negotiations about a potential alliance.[41] On 5 March 2021, these three parties confirmed the formation of a coalition, stating that they would run either in a formal electoral alliance or as a single party, depending on the new electoral law.[42] The Independence Party of the Czech Republic declared support for this coalition soon after.[43] On 23 March 2021, Tricolour leader Václav Klaus Jr. resigned from all political functions for personal reasons.[44] Zuzana Majerová Zahradníková became acting leader of the party.[45]
On 23 March 2021, a group of minor parties including the Alliance for the Future, Agrarian Democratic Party, Order of the Nation, and Democratic Green Party formed an electoral alliance, the Alliance for the Future, with Pavel Sehnal as leader.[46] The Party of Common Sense also subsequently joined the alliance.[47]
Some commentators have described the election as a "hidden referendum" on membership of the European Union (EU).[48] [49] [50]
During the 2017 parliamentary election, the 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected from 14 multi-member constituencies by open list proportional representation with an electoral threshold of 5%. It was raised to 10% for two-party political alliances, 15% for three-party alliances, and 20% for alliances of four or more parties. Seats were allocated using the D'Hondt method. Voters can give preference votes to up to four candidates on a list. Candidates who receive preferential votes from more than 5% of voters are moved to the top of their list; in cases where more than one candidate receives over 5% of the preferential votes, they are ranked in order of votes received.[51]
Although it was expected that the 2021 parliamentary election would take place using the same electoral system, the Constitutional Court ruled on a complaint submitted by a group of senators from Mayors and Independents, KDU-ČSL, and TOP 09 that the electoral system was unproportional and favoured larger parties. It focused on the D'Hondt method, the division of the country into 14 constituencies, and the increased electoral threshold for alliances.[52] The Constitutional Court's decision, published on 3 February 2021, set the threshold for alliances at 5% and removed some provisions relating to seat allocation.[53] New provisions were put into law before the election, establishing a threshold of 5% for single parties, 8% for coalitions of two parties, and 11% for coalitions of three or more parties.[54]
The deadline to submit candidate lists for election was 4 August 2021. As of 2 August 2021, 29 subjects had made an application to the registration bureau.[55] All of them were approved by the bureau and permitted to run.[56]
Czech Republic invited experts from Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe election.[57] OSCE provided four observers.[58]
As with the regional elections in 2020, the pandemic emergency, covered by the pandemic law,[59] allowed for the establishment of special polling stations for people in isolation or quarantine, as well as drive-in voting locations. Disinfection and respiratory protection were provided to ensure hygienic conditions in traditional polling stations. Special election dates were announced on 6 and 7 October 2021.[60]
Simultaneously with the election, there were local referendums held in 20 cities and towns: Blšany u Loun, Blučina, Bzenec, Dačice, Drnholec, Jáchymov, Jezeřany-Maršovice, Katovice, Losiná, Pardubice, Podolí, Příkosice, Řevnice, Slavonice, Sušice, Ševětín, Temelín, Třemošnice, Velký Beranov, Zduchovice and Stará Bělá (part of Ostrava).[61] [62]
See also: List of political parties in the Czech Republic. The table below lists political parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies after the 2017 parliamentary election.
| Name | Ideology | Position | Leader | 2017 result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | ||||||
| ANO | Populism | Centre to centre-right | Andrej Babiš | 29.6% | |||
| ODS | Liberal conservatism | Centre-right to right-wing | Petr Fiala | 11.3% | |||
| Pirates | Pirate politics | Centre to centre-left | Ivan Bartoš | 10.8% | |||
| SPD | Right-wing populism | Right-wing to far-right | Tomio Okamura | 10.6% | |||
| KSČM | Communism | Left-wing to far-left | Vojtěch Filip | 7.8% | |||
| ČSSD | Social democracy | Centre-left | Jan Hamáček | 7.3% | |||
| KDU-ČSL | Christian democracy | Centre to centre-right | Marian Jurečka | 5.8% | |||
| TOP 09 | Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | Markéta Adamová | 5.3% | |||
| STAN | Liberalism, localism | Centre to centre-right | Vít Rakušan | 5.2% | |||
| List | Name | Ideology | Position | Leader | 2017 result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green politics | Centre-left | Magdalena Davis | 1.56% (0 Seats) | |||
| 2 | Swiss system | Centre-right | Tomáš Raždík | new | |||
| 3 | Nationalism | Far-right | Lubomír Volný | didn't stand | |||
| 4 | Right-wing populism | Far-right | Tomio Okamura | 10.64% (22 Seats) | |||
| 5 | Social democracy | Centre-left | Jan Hamáček | 7.27% (15 Seats) | |||
| 6 | Anti-communism | Right-wing | Petr Cibulka | 0% (0 Seats) | |||
| 7 | Nationalism | Far-right | Vladimíra Vítová | 0% (0 Seats) | |||
| 8 | National conservatism | Right-wing to far-right | Zuzana Majerová Zahradníková | 1.56% (0 Seats) | |||
| 9 | bgcolor= | Liberalism | Centre-right | Pavel Sehnal | 0.15% (0 Seats) | ||
| 10 | Sources Movement | Decentralization[63] | none[64] | no leader | new | ||
| 11 | Democratic socialism | Left-wing | Markéta Juřicová | new | |||
| 12 | Populism | Centre to centre-right | Robert Šlachta | new | |||
| 13 | Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | Petr Fiala | 22.4% (42 Seats) | |||
| 14 | Pensioners 21 | Pensioners' interests | none | Jaromír Fojtík | new | ||
| 15 | Anarcho-capitalism | none | Martin Urza | new | |||
| 16 | Monarchism | Right-wing | Radim Špaček | supported TOP 09 | |||
| 17 | Liberalism | Centre | Ivan Bartoš | 15.97% (28 Seats) | |||
| 18 | Communism | Left-wing to far-left | Vojtěch Filip | 7.76% (15 Seats) | |||
| 19 | Regionalism | Centre | Ondřej Hýsek | new | |||
| 20 | Populism | Centre to centre-right | Andrej Babiš | 29.64% (78 Seats) | |||
| 21 | We Will Open Czechia | Opposition to COVID-19 restrictions | Far-right | Jakub Olbert | new | ||
| 22 | Regionalism | Centre | Pavel Dohnal | didn't stand | |||
| MP | Seat | First elected | Party | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiří Bláha | Liberec | 2017 | ANO | [65] | ||
| Alexander Černý | Olomouc | 2002 | KSČM | |||
| Monika Červíčková | Prague | 2018 (surrogate) | ANO | [66] | ||
| Jan Čižinský | Prague | 2017 | KDU-ČSL | |||
| Petr Dolínek | Prague | 2017 | ČSSD | |||
| Miroslav Grebeníček | South Moravia | 1993 | KSČM | [67] | ||
| Stanislav Juránek | South Moravia | 2017 | KDU-ČSL | |||
| Pavel Juříček | Moravia-Silesia | 2017 | ANO | [68] | ||
| Iva Kalátová | Karlovy Vary | 2019 (surrogate) | ANO | [69] | ||
| Václav Klaus Jr. | Prague | 2017 | Tricolour | Elected for ODS originally.[70] | ||
| Jiří Kohoutek | Pardubice | 2017 | SPD | [71] | ||
| Josef Kott | Vysočina | 2013 | ANO | |||
| Pavel Kováčik | South Moravia | 1996 | KSČM | [72] | ||
| Lenka Kozlová | Central Bohemia | 2017 | Piráti | The only Pirate MP to not seek reelection. | ||
| Jana Levová | Plzeň | 2017 | SPD | [73] | ||
| Přemysl Mališ | Central Bohemia | 2017 | ANO | [74] | ||
| Eva Matyášová | Hradec Králové | 2017 | ANO | [75] | ||
| Marcela Melková | Central Bohemia | 2017 | ANO | |||
| Jiří Mihola | South Moravia | 2013 | KDU-ČSL | |||
| Ivana Nevludová | Moravia-Silesia | 2017 | Jednotní | Originally elected for SPD. | ||
| Monika Oborná | Vysočina | 2017 | ANO | |||
| Petr Pávek | Liberec | 2017 | STAN | The only STAN MP to not seek reelection. | ||
| Pavel Pustějovský | Zlín | 2017 | ANO | |||
| Jaroslava Puntová | Ústí nad Labem | 2020 (surrogate) | ANO | |||
| Miloslava Rutová | Plzeň | 2016 (surrogate) | ANO | [76] | ||
| Karel Schwarzenberg | Prague | 2010 | TOP 09 | |||
| Roman Sklenák | South Moravia | 2010 | ČSSD | |||
| Olga Sommerová | Prague | 2021 (surrogate) | LES | Elected on TOP 09 list. | ||
| Pavel Staněk | South Moravia | 2017 | ANO | |||
| Pavel Šindelář | Plzeň | 2021 (surrogate) | ODS | |||
| Karla Šlechtová | Plzeň | 2017 | ANO | |||
| František Vácha | South Bohemia | 2013 | TOP 09 | |||
| Adam Vojtěch | South Bohemia | 2017 | ANO | |||
| Václav Votava | Plzeň | 2002 | ČSSD | |||
| Jaroslav Vymazal | Vysočina | 2020 (surrogate) | ODS | |||
| Rostislav Vyzula | South Moravia | 2013 | ANO | |||
| Jan Zahradník | South Bohemia | 2013 | ODS | |||
| Radek Zlesák | Vysočina | 2017 | ANO | |||
The campaign was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with opposition parties criticizing the government for its handling of the pandemic and emphasising the country's high death rate. Some parties also focused their campaigns around opposition to the COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, the government parties defended their handling of the crisis, and some government ministers argued that the situation would have been worse if the opposition had been in government. This issue later lost prominence, with economic issues receiving more attention. Several political scientists, including Daniel Prokop, characterised the election as a referendum on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.[77] [78] During the final phase of the campaign, inflation and the increasing prices of groceries became the main issue, reflected in Spolu's campaign slogan: "The cost of Babiš".[79]
ANO 2011 and the far-right parties also focused on immigration during their campaigns, criticising multiculturalism and pledging to prevent "Muslim Europe".[80]
In March 2021, the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) formed an electoral alliance with other minor parties called Alliance for the Future (APB), led by Pavel Sehnal. Parties in the alliance included the Agrarian Democratic Party, Order of the Nation and the Democratic Party of Greens.[81] The same year in July, the Party of Common Sense joined the alliance.[82] ODA formally changed its name to Alliance for the Future to avoid the higher electoral threshold.[83]
The alliance's campaign was launched at a press conference on 16 June 2021, where Sehnal introduced APB's priorities, including support for Czech businesses and lower taxes. He also declared support for transatlantic cooperation and EU membership.[84]
After opinion polls in early 2021 showed ANO 2011 (ANO) falling behind the Czech Pirate Party, prime minister Andrej Babiš reacted by attacking the Pirates for their progressive stances, such as their supposed support for immigration and legalisation of drug use.[85] The party's campaign thus focused on criticism of the Pirates in early 2021.[86] On 27 June 2021 President Miloš Zeman endorsed ANO 2011, stating that he would vote for the party.[87]
In July 2021, ANO 2011 published a book, Share it, before they ban it, allegedly written by Babiš, who began promoting the book during the campaign with book signings. The book primarily boasted about Babiš record in government.[88] [89] Ice cream was also given out at these sessions, in response to the campaign of Pirates and Mayors.[90] [91] [92]
The party officially launched its campaign on 2 September 2021. Babiš promised higher pensions and measures against illegal immigration. He also attacked the opposition alliances, stating that they wanted to destroy the Visegrád Group. Babiš also talked about the defence of Czech national interests.[93] In September 2021, ANO released an election advert for Czech television which attacked the Pirates over alleged support for immigration and links to "antifa".[94] [95] His campaign used the slogan "I will fight for you until my body falls apart!"[96] The launch of the campaign was impacted by the arrival of Babiš' son Andrej Babiš Jr., who was allegedly kidnapped on his father orders leading to the 2018 Czech political crisis. Babiš Jr. confronted his father during the meeting and accused him of deceiving the nation. Babiš later stated that he would not wish any parent to go through such an experience.[97] [98]
On 29 September 2021 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited the Czech Republic and formally endorsed ANO 2011 at a rally in Ústí nad Labem.[99] [100] Orbán praised Babiš, saying that Hungarians would be glad for a Prime Minister like Babiš. He also warned about immigration and the European Union during the rally, which was compared to a talkshow of two Prime Ministers.[101]
Babiš was named in the Pandora Papers leak around a month later.[102] According to the leak, Babiš used offshore companies to buy French Mansion in 2009.[103]
The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) launched its campaign on 4 June 2021. Leader Vojtěch Filip said that a vote for KSČM meant certainty for the future. KSČM named its five priorities as help for children in need, better conditions for life and safety, the right to a dignified life and better environment, a higher minimum wage, and shorter working periods. Filip also stated his party's wish to leave NATO and establish better relationships with China and Russia.[104]
The monarchist party Koruna Česká launched its campaign on 9 August 2021. The party supported TOP 09 in the 2017 elections. Chairman Radim Špaček described the program goals, to reform the Czech state from a republic to a parliamentary monarchy, to restore the historical lands of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, and revise the legal order. Deputy Chairman Petr Krátký cited a public opinion polling indicating that almost 10% of Czech citizens, especially younger voters, are in favor of a monarchy. The party's list also includes members of other small parties, such as the Conservative Party and Morava 1918.[105]
The Czech Pirate Party and Mayors and Independents (STAN) formed the liberal electoral alliance Pirates and Mayors led by Ivan Bartoš, presenting their cooperation agreement in December 2020. Priorities in the agreement included lower taxes, better availability of health care in the regions, protection of the climate, and transparent governance. The parties also agreed to support adoption of the euro.[106] Bartoš said on 11 January that the alliance's priorities during the campaign would include reform of the debt collection system, digitalisation, environmental issues, and education.[107]
Pirates and STAN launched their campaign on 18 May 2021, with the slogan "Let's give the country back its future" (Czech: Vraťme zemi budoucnost). Bartoš and Rakušan promised to regulate debt collection, raise taxes on commercial buildings, and begin preparations to adopt the euro.[108] A major focus of the alliance's platform is digitalisation of the country.[109] In response to the 2021 South Moravia tornado, Pirates and STAN interrupted their campaign.[110]
At a press conference on 24 June 2021, Pirates and STAN launched an anti-corruption campaign, publishing a list of the 10 biggest corruption cases since 1989, primarily involving ODS. The campaign also listed the 10 biggest corruption cases involving the ruling ANO.[111] In July 2021, the alliance released a poster featuring Jakub Michálek, its candidate for Minister of Justice, trying to catch a man in a suit with a lasso, accompanied with anti-corruption slogans. The campaign attracted significant media attention but was also criticised as amateurish and populist.[112] [113]
The alliance relaunched its campaign in August 2021 as a reaction to declining opinion polls. The campaign began to focus more on STAN and its leader Vít Rakušan, though Bartoš remained the alliance's electoral leader and candidate for prime minister.[114] The campaign also focused more on budgetary spending and education.[115]
The final phase of the campaign was launched on 9 September 2021. The alliance introduced an electoral bus in an attempt to replicate the success of the 2017 elections. Pirates and Mayors focused on criticism of the government for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and budget spending. Messages written on the bus also recalled various controversies of the government.[116]
The Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) launched its campaign on 29 March 2021 with the slogan "We know what to do after Covid." The campaign focused on the solution of the COVID-19 crisis, opposition to privatization of hospitals, support for Kurzarbeit, and shorter working hours. The party also promised to increase taxes for banks and large companies.[117]
The final phase of campaign was launched on 22 August 2021. Party leader Jan Hamáček said that ČSSD was not dead, despite low opinion polling. Major topics of the party's campaign were higher salaries, pension reform, and just redistribution of COVID-19 expenditures. Slogans included "For a just Czech Republic" and "So that no one endangers your life security." ČSSD also expressed their intention to implement progressive taxation and a lower tax on groceries, rejected privatisation of health care, and promised more achievable housing.[118] [119]
ČSSD used Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Jana Maláčová prominently in its campaign. In September, Maláčová and Matěj Stropnický, a candidate for the party in Prague, made a video called "Cool pair", in which they attacked opposition parties, accusing them of corruption and intending to privatize public companies.[120] [121] Maláčová also campaigned at Metro stations giving out leaflets for the party.[122] [123]
The Free Bloc launched it campaign on 28 August 2021 with a meeting on Letná. Led by MP Lubomír Volný, it focused mainly on opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Other prominent figures in their campaign were Jana Bobošíková and Hana Lipovská.[124] The Free Bloc held electoral meetings at markets, with Volný travelling around the Czech Republic in a bus called "Volňásek".[125] The campaign concluded with a meeting in Krupka on 6 October 2021.[126]
Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) launched its campaign on 15 July 2021 with a meeting on Letná.[127] SPD stated that the price for their participation in post-election coalition discussions would be a referendum law, and to hold a referendum on membership of the EU and NATO.[128] [129] Other issues in the party's campaign included opposition to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination. SPD used an election truck called "espéďák" to travel around the country, and attempted to attract potential voters to meetings by holding fairs with cheap food.[130] [131]
The Green Party launched its campaign on 29 June 2021, with the slogan "Lets Give Green to Women", focused on feminist issues and environmentalism. Besides green, the party used pink in its campaign.[132] Magdalena Davis was announced as the party's electoral leader,[133] and a large number of their candidates were women. Davis described the predominance of men in politics as a medieval custom.[134]
The final phase of the party's campaign was launched on 31 August 2021 in Brno, at the Brno astronomical clock. The Greens described it as a phallic, masculine symbol, and covered it with various images of female potential. Participants in the meeting held signs with slogans such as "We love modern schools" and "We love fathers on parental leave". Another key issue was the climate crisis, with the party proposing higher penalties for environmental crimes.[135]
The People FOR political movement, led by political activist Mikuláš Minář, was launched on 3 December 2020, and started gathering the 500,000 signatures required for participation in the elections. Minář said that the movement does not want to be another 5% party.[136] On 24 March 2021, Minář announced the end of the movement due to low interest from voters, having collected only 39,251 signatures.[137]
Robert Šlachta, the former Director of the police unit against organized crime, formed the anti-corruption party Přísaha before the election. He launched the campaign at a meeting on 28 January 2021. Šlachta stated that he did not believe it was the right time to adopt the euro and was opposed to migrant quotas.[138]
The final phase of the campaign was launched on 25 August 2021. Přísaha introduced its regional leaders and program, under the slogan "Let's go to them!" The main campaign topic was fighting corruption and clientelism. Šlachta also stated that he wanted to make courts faster and fight for Czech identity, rejecting the euro and migration quotas. He also pledged to investigate all state contracts concluded under the state of emergency.[139] Šlachta stated that Přísaha had crowdfunded 13.8 million CZK for the campaign, and calculated that the campaign would cost around 15 million CZK.[140]
The party hovered around the 5% electoral threshold in polling between May and the election.[141] [142] In September 2021, Přísaha's support in opinion polls gradually declined, which was blamed on the launch of the ANO campaign.[143] Šlachta stated before voting that he believed the party would reach his goal of surpassing the 5% threshold.[144]
Three centre-right parties, the Civic Democratic Party, KDU-ČSL, and TOP 09, formed an electoral alliance called SPOLU. Led by Petr Fiala, the alliance launched its campaign on 9 December 2020, promising to reform tax, the social and pension system, and healthcare. Its proposals included a minimum pension, a simplification of social benefits, support for education, and better use of EU funds as well as a focus on climate change. It opposes leaving the EU and supports membership of NATO. TOP 09 leader Markéta Pekarová Adamová described the alliance as a centre-right liberal conservative political force.[145]
SPOLU launched its campaign on 19 May 2021 in Brno.[146] The campaign's slogan was "We will bring the Czech Republic together." Fiala said that SPOLU wants an "economically capable and educated Czechia".[147] [146] Spolu planned to use Dominik Feri as the face of an Instagram campaign targeting young voters entitled "I have a voice". In May 2021, Feri resigned from his political posts after being accused of sexual assault and rape by eight women, and the campaign was withdrawn.[148] [149] In response to the 2021 South Moravia tornado, Spolu interrupted its campaign in South Moravia and donated 1.5 million CZK to help people in the affected areas.[150]
From August, Spolu's campaign featured a bus, known as the "positive bus", to be used for its candidates' personal campaigns. Spolu also screened the film Women on the Run at its campaign meetings, and featured stand-up comedians including Petr Čtvrtníček in electoral adverts.[151] [152] Fiala became more active on social media and travelled around the Czech Republic as part of a personal campaign.[153] In late August 2021, Spolu used billboards featuring the leaders of ANO, KSČM, and SPD with the word "Threat", which was often juxtaposed with a billboard featuring the leaders of Spolu with the words "Change you can trust."[154] On 4 September 2021, SPOLU reacted to the launch of ANO's campaign by launching a parody meme generator inspired by the ANO campaign and its slogan "Until my body falls apart!".[155] On 3 September 2021, SPOLU were endorsed by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who sent a letter to Fiala wishing the alliance electoral success.[156]
SPOLU launched the final phase of their campaign on 20 September 2021 with a meeting inspired by the United States presidential campaigns.[157] In a speech, Fiala criticised Andrej Babiš' Cabinet for populism and warned against extremists. Fiala pledged that SPOLU would reduce the public debt without increasing taxes, guarantee the pro-Western orientation of the country, and digitalise public administration. He also said he wanted to solve the housing crisis. The meeting was held under the slogans "It is about everything now" and "Let's start change."[158] Around this time, prominent representatives of Spolu visited the regions to meet with citizens.[159]
Following the television debates, SPOLU used the line "The cost of Babiš" to attack the government over inflation and the rising prices of energy and groceries. The term was first used by Fiala during a debate on Prima CNN News, before becoming a part of the alliance's billboard campaign and spreading among ODS supporters.[160] [161] Fiala himself used the term repeatedly during debates.[162]
In the last polls before the election, Spolu were polling second behind ANO. Commentators noted that the gap between ANO and Spolu was narrowing, but none predicted that Spolu would pull ahead.[163]
The Tricolour Citizens' Movement, Svobodní, and Freeholder Party of the Czech Republic formed an electoral alliance called Tricolour–Svobodní–Soukromníci (TSS), led by Tricolour leader Zuzana Majerová Zahradníková.[164] Václav Klaus Jr. was originally meant to be the electoral leader, but he quit politics soon after formation of the alliance.[165] [166]
TSS launched its campaign on 17 June 2021 with the slogan "We have a right to live". Their campaign focused on traditional values and opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Majerová Zahradníková targeted right-wing Eurosceptic voters,[167] and also wanted to use former Czech President Václav Klaus during the campaign.[168] Majerová Zahradníková stated during the campaign that TSS rejected the lockdown, Green New Deal, and grocery quotas. During September 2021 she also campaigned on the issue of rising prices.[169] TSS aimed to win 7% of votes.[170]
During final phase of the campaign, TSS focused on Spolu voters, distributing leaflets warning of a new Opposition agreement.[171] TSS also attacked Spolu for being too Green and too pro-Europe. The party warned of "Covid totalitarianism" while attacking COVID-19 restrictions, rejecting a new lockdown, school closures, or "segregation of the non-vaccinated".[172] TSS argued that it was the only "true authentic right" on the Czech political scene. A few hours prior to the election it was endorsed by former Czech president Václav Klaus.[173]
Urza.cz is an anarcho-capitalist party led by Martin Urza. Its campaign began gathering signatures in April 2021.[174] The party was registered in July 2021.[175] Urza was campaigning to promote his beliefs, rather than attract votes.[176] The party promised that its MPs would resign if elected, as it did not believe that anyone should govern by force.[177]
The Chcípl pes (English: The Dog Croaked) initiative was created in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Its members decided to form a political party called "We Will Open Czechia". Its campaign was focused against COVID-19 restrictions and included various protests. The party also called on pub owners to open their businesses despite government orders.[178]