With parliamentary elections coming up in October, Czech political parties are busy preparing. This involves writing manifestos, forming candidate lists, and developing communication strategies. A key aspect of the Czech system is forming pre-election coalitions to boost their chances.
Parties team up for two main reasons: it makes it easier to clear the electoral threshold (5% for a single party, 8% for a coalition), and the largest coalition gets the first chance to negotiate forming a government. This is what happened in 2021, when the SPOLU coalition narrowly beat ANO, then formed a government with other parties.
Finding partners is a balancing act. Parties must agree on a common program, candidate list, and communication strategy, all while maintaining their individual identities. It’s like rival sports teams suddenly having to play as one!
Recent coalition developments:
- Centre-Right: SPOLU Again
The SPOLU alliance (Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats, TOP 09) signed an agreement in mid-June, aiming to repeat their 2021 success and lead government formation. - Pirates and Greens: Teaming Up
The Pirate Party is partnering with the Green Party, placing about 30 Green candidates on Pirate lists in eight regions. This alliance targets pro-European and progressive voters, hoping to clear the electoral threshold. - ANO: Going Solo
ANO, led by Andrej Babiš, remains the largest opposition party. Talks with the Social Democrats (SOCDEM) and Communists for a minority government fell apart, so ANO is now running alone, aiming to win outright or negotiate from a strong position post-election. - SPD and Allies: A Populist Bloc
On the far-right, Tomio Okamura’s SPD formed a bloc in March with three smaller parties: Svoboda, Trikolora, and PRO. They aim to unify nationalist and anti-EU voters to cross the threshold. - Without partners: Přísaha and Motoristé
A few smaller parties have struggled to find stable partners. Přísaha and Motoristé ‘s talks with various parties failed due to disagreements. Recently Přísaha also ruled out a coalition with Motoristé. On their own, it is unlikely they will get enough votes to cross the 5% threshold. - Stačilo! and SOCDEM: A Surprising Alliance
After much back-and-forth, the left-wing Stačilo! and the Social Democrats (SOCDEM) have announced a joint coalition. They aim to unify left-wing voters on a platform of social justice and labor rights, despite earlier ideological clashes.
These pre-election maneuvers will determine what voters see on the ballot in October. With the July 29th deadline for submitting candidate lists fast approaching, the next few days are critical. Once finalized, we’ll have a clear picture of the alliances competing and can begin to consider how they might shape the next government.