The Czech Social Democratic Party () is the Social Democratic political party in the Czech Republic.

The party won the elections of 2002 with 70 of 200 representatives in the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. Its chairman Vladimír ?pidla became the prime minister heading a coalition with two smaller parties, the Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party and the Freedom Union-Democratic Union until his resignation in 2004.

The current chairman of the party is Ji?í Paroubek since 2006. His predecessor was Stanislav Gross from 26 June, 2004 to 26 April, 2005. Gross resigned after a scandal which arose due to his inability to explain the source of financial resources used to pay for his home. Gross's predecessor Vladimír ?pidla was forced to resign in 2004 after the ?SSD lost in European Parliamentary elections.

In the June 2 and 3, 2006 elections, the party won 32.3% of the vote and 74 out of 200 seats. The election at first caused a stalemate since the right-wing parties (with Green Party) and left-wing parties each had 100 seats. The stalemate was broken when two ?SSD deputies, Milo? Mel?ák and Michal Pohanka abstained during a vote of confidence, allowing a coalition of the Civic Democrats (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-?SL), and the Green Party (SZ) to form a government. Hence the ?SSD is now in opposition.

History

Overview

Czech lands as part of Austria-Hungary:

• 1878?1893 The Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Party in Austria (Sociáln?-demokratická strana ?eskoslovanská v Rakousku) - part of Social Democratic Party of Austria
• 1894?1918 The Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Workers' Party (?eskoslovanská sociáln? demokratická stranu d?lnická) - independent party

Czechoslovakia:

• 1918?1938 The Czechoslovak Social Democratic Worker's Party (?eskoslovenská sociáln? demokratická strana d?lnická) - merged with Slovak Social Democrats
• 1938?1941 The National Labor Party (Národní strana práce) - united left party of Social Democrats and part of Czech National Social Party
• 1945?1948 Czechoslovak Social Democracy (?eskoslovenská sociální demokracie)
• 1948?1989 - merged with the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, concurrenty existed as an exile party with its headquarters in London
• 1990?1993 Czechoslovak Social Democracy (?eskoslovenská sociální demokracie)

Czech Republic:

• since 1993 Czech Social Democratic Party (?eská strana sociáln? demokratická)

Election results

• 1920 National Assembly: 25.7% - 74 seats
• 1925 National Assembly: 8.9% - 29 seats
• 1929 National Assembly: 13% - 39 seats
• 1935 National Assembly: 12.6% - 38 seats
• 1946 National Assembly: 12.1% (15.6%) - 37 seats

Since 1990

• 1990 Czech National Council: 4.1% - no seat
• 1992 Czech National Council: 6.5% - 16 seats
• 1996 Chamber of Deputies: 26.4% - 61 seats
• 1996 Senate: 25 seats (whole Senate elected, only one third in next elections)
• 1998 Chamber of Deputies: 32.1% - 74 seats
• 1998 Senate: 3 seats
• 2000 Senate: 1 seat
• 2002 Chamber of Deputies: 30.2% - 70 seats
• 2002 Senate: 7 seats
• 2004 Senate: no seat
• 2004 European Parliament: 8.8% - 2 seats
• 2006 Chamber of Deputies: 32.3% - 74 seats
• 2006 Senate: 6 seats
• 2008 Senate: 23 seats

Chairmen of the Czech Social Democratic Party

Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Workers' Party

• Antonín N?mec (1904-1915)
• Bohumír ?meral (1916-1917)

Czechoslovak Social Democratic Worker's Party

• Antonín N?mec (1917-1925)
• Antonín Hampl (1925-1938)

Czechoslovak Social Democracy

• Zden?k Fierlinger (1945-1947)
• Bohumil Lau?man (1947-1948)

Czechoslovak Social Democracy in exile

• Bla?ej Vilím (1948)
• Václav Majer (1948-1972)
• Vilém Bernard (1972-1989)
• Karel Hrubý

Czechoslovak Social Democracy

• Ji?í Horák (1989 - 1993)

Czech Social Democratic Party

• Milo? Zeman (28 February 1993 - April 2001)
• Vladimír ?pidla (April 2001 - 26 June 2004)
• Stanislav Gross (26 June 2004 - 26 April 2005)
  • Bohuslav Sobotka (temporary) (2005 - 2006)
• Ji?í Paroubek (2006 - Present)

See also

• Politics of the Czech Republic
• List of political parties in the Czech Republic
• Elections in the Czech Republic
• Bohumil Lau?man
• Czech Social Democratic National Forum

Rererences

External links

• Party basic data in English
• ?SSD official website

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