3 4 Parliament of the Czech Republic 2 1 CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES he Czech Republic is a unitary democratic state based on the rule of law with a parliamentary form of government. The head of state is the President of the Czech Republic, who, together with the Government, Trepresents the executive branch of power. Legislative power is exercised by votes on confi dence or non-confi dence in the Gov- 1 – The Chamber of Deputies of the The Mandate of a Deputy to the Chamber of Deputies and ends at the end a bicameral Parliament, composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Parliament of the Czech Republic The Parliament of the Czech Republic ernment. of the electoral term or upon the resignation or 2 – The Senate of the Parliament of the The rights and obligations of a member of the The Czech Republic is a member of both the European Union and of NATO. Only members of the Chamber of Deputies Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies are referred to as the death of the Deputy. Each Deputy is required The Chamber of Deputies The Senate (called Deputies) have the power to ask mem- 3 – The Offi ce of the Government Mandate of a Deputy. The Mandate of a Deputy by the Constitution to take this oath of offi ce: Number of Members 200 81 bers of the Government questions. Only the The Parliamant and the Czech Constitutional Order: of the Czech Republic may be characterized as a free mandate, by which “I hereby swear my allegiance to the Czech Re- Term of offi ce 4 years 6 years Chamber of Deputies approves the state budget 4 – Prague Castle, the seat of the President of the it is meant that a Deputy is bound only by his public. I swear to uphold its Constitution and its The Constitutional order of the Czech Republic is based on a parliamentary form of government. The for each year. Moreover, the Chamber of Depu- Czech Republic Electoral system Proportional representation Majoritarian with two own conscience when voting on matters in the laws. I swear on my honour that I shall discharge dominant position of the Parliament within the constitutional order, the fact that the Parliament elects ties may even override a Senate veto of (d‘Hondt method) rounds of elections Chamber of Deputies. The Mandate of a Depu- my offi ce in the interest of all the people, and to the President of the Czech Republic and the fact that the Government is accountable to the Parliament a bill or a proposed Senate amendment to Number of electoral districts 14 81 ty exists from the moment a Deputy is elected the best of my belief.” means that the parliamentary form of government in the Czech Republic may be classifi ed as a form a bill by an absolute majority of Deputies. and A citizen aged 21 years A citizen aged 40 years The Mandate of a Deputy in- Who may st of “rationalized parliamentarism”. In contrast, the Senate exercises important for election of age or older of age or older cludes certain immunities which The Parliament itself may be defi ned powers when the Chamber of Deputies are guaranteed to all Members as a body composed of representatives has been dissolved. In such a case, the Sen- of Parliament. These immunities The Constitutional Order of the Czech Republic of the people, elected by universal ate may adopt so-called “legal measures” exclude Members of Parliament suffrage in elections and empowered regarding matters which may not be post- from the general regime of sanc- with the legislative power to enact poned and which would otherwise necessi- tions applicable to individuals, in laws as well as to amend the Constitu- tate the adoption of a law. The Chamber of The President order to ensure that the legisla- tion. As mentioned above, the Czech Deputies and the Senate have almost equal of the The tive body is entirely independent The Parliament is composed of two cham- powers when it comes to the approval of Czech Republic Constitutional in the decisions that it takes. The Government bers, the Chamber of Deputies and amendments to the Constitution and when it of the Czech Parliament also elect the President Court Constitution distinguishes two the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies comes to expressing consent with the ratifi ca- of the Czech Republic at a joint meeting of both forms of immunities granted to (also called the fi rst chamber or lower tion of international treaties. The two chambers chambers. chamber), exercises certain powers Deputies. The fi rst form of immu- which the Senate does not have. For nity applies to speeches and voting The Supreme The Parliament of the Czech Republic The Czech example, the Government is account- The development of the Czech Constitutional Order in the Parliament. No Member Audit Offi ce National Bank able solely to the Chamber of Depu- 1848 – Declaration of the fi rst constitution on the territory of what is today the Czech Republic of Parliament may be criminal- The ties, i.e. only the Chamber of Deputies 1861 – First elections are held to the Provintial diets according to a system of curias ly liable for any speech made in The Chamber 1907 – Adoption of universal and equal suffrage for elections to the Parliament the Parliament. A Deputy is only Senate of Deputies The Czech Republic – 1918 – Independence of the fi rst Czechoslovak Republic liable in disciplinary proceedings Regional 1920 – Approval of the Constitution of the Czechoslovak Republic held before the Chamber of De- City councils quick facts Assemblies 1939 – Establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (occupation by the puties for such speeches. The se- Population: 10,3 mil. cond form of immunity applies 2 German military) Territory: 78 866 km more generally and is procedural 1948 – The Communist Party comes to power in Czechoslovakia Capital: Prague in nature. A Deputy may not be Number of 1968 – The Prague spring (and the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw-pact troops) charged with a crime without the Czech citizens administrative 1989 – The Velvet revolution (the end of the Communist regime) Prague Castle – the Vladislav hall – the place of inauguration Sněmovní hall of the Thun Palace – the plenary meeting room of consent of the Chamber of De- regions: 14 1993 – Establishment of the Czech Republic of the President of the Czech Republic the Chamber of Deputies today puties. A look into the history tial diets increased when the centralized power also a time when the press began to play an im- dent Hácha formally dissolved the of the King was weak. portant role in determining public opinion. National Assembly. “The people are the source of all power in the State; of the Parliament: After the incorporation of the Czech lands into The National Assembly was recon- The establishment of the Czechoslovak The tradition of having a representative body the Hapsburg monarchy, the powers of the situted at the end of the second world they exercise it through bodies of legislative, execu- Republic and the Parliament: dates well into the past when it comes to the provintial diet gradually weakened. This was ap- war. In October 1945, a unicameral th tive and judiciary powers.” (Aricle 2, Constitution) territory of what is today the Czech Republic. parent in the 18 century which was a time of The traditional pro vintial diet ceased to exist interim National Assembly was con- As of the 13th century, political representatives increased centralization, when power was con- along with the dissolution of the Austrio-Hungar- vened which approved the Decrees of one of the most important aspects of parlia- of the Czech Kingdom – i.e. the nobility, clergy centrated into the hands of the monarch and ian Empire. The newly formed Czechoslovak Re- the President of the Republic, which The functions mentary life. Another aspect of parliamen- and, to a limited extent, cities – gathered in the central Austrian Government. At a symbolic public (also called the First Republic) was a classi- had been issued prior to its constitu- of the Parliament: tary control of the Government are regular a provintial diet (land assembly). Similarly, di- level, however, the provintial diet continued to cal parliamentary democracy. In accordance with tion. In the first post-war elections in Each parliament in a democratic state, including oral question periods and written interpel- the Constitution of 1920, legislative power was 1946, citizens were given only a lim- the Parliament of the Czech Republic, performs lations (written questions put to Members exercised by the National Assembly, which was ited choice. Only non right-wing po- four main important functions in the constitu- of the Government), in which Deputies composed of two chambers – the Senate and the litical parties which had not, according tional system – the representative, legislative, may ask ministers questions in connection Chamber of Depu- to the views of the time, discredited control and creationary functions. ties. Elections were themselves during the period of the a) The representative function held on the basis of war, were allowed to propose candi- The will of the people is expressed a proportional elec- dates to stand for election. through the Parliement, the Con- toral system. The stitution providing that the people Portal no. 7 – Sternberg palace political situation The Parliament are the source of all state power. in the Czechoslovak and the Communist regime: A necessary aspect of parliamenary system of the Hapsburg monarchy at the begin- Republic was rather In February of 1948, the Communist life is therefore communication ning of the 1860s. Although the right to vote complicated, due to party definitely took over power in with the public and with represen- was not equal and was denied to many mem- the many political The Zlatá bula seal Czechoslovakia.