Green Party (Czech Republic)

Green Party
Strana zelených
AbbreviationZelení
LeadersMatěj Pomahač
Gabriela Svárovská [cs]
Founded1990; 34 years ago (1990)
HeadquartersNám. Winstona Churchilla 2, Prague
Youth wingYoung Greens (formerly)
Membership (2019)1,201 [1]
IdeologyGreen politics[2]
Social liberalism[2]
Political positionCentre-left[3]
European affiliationEuropean Green Party
International affiliationGlobal Greens
Colours  Green
Chamber of Deputies
0 / 200
Senate
0 / 81
European Parliament
0 / 21
Regional assemblies
7 / 675
Local assemblies
323 / 61,900
Website
www.zeleni.cz

The Green Party (Czech: Strana zelených, lit.'Party of Greens') is a green[2] political party in the Czech Republic.

History

The Green party was founded in 1990 following the return to liberal democracy in Czechia following the Velvet Revolution. However, the party remained on the political margins until Jaromír Štětina was able to capture a seat in the Senate (upper house of the Parliament of the Czech Republic) in 2004. It was during this time that the Greens campaigned on pacificism (rejecting the idea that any foreign military power should have military bases in the Czech Republic) and greater incorporation of grassroots democracy in the country.[4]

Under new leader Marin Bursík, the Greens adopted a more pragmatic approach to politics and in the subsequent 2006 legislative election the party received 6.3% of the vote and won six seats in the lower house – the Chamber of Deputies. This resulted in the party taking part in the governing coalition, together with the Civic Democrats (ODS) and KDU–ČSL from January 2007 to March 2009 (for more details see Mirek Topolánek's Second Cabinet). During their stint in government, the Greens promoted pro-European policies such as supporting the Lisbon Treaty. They also suggested that European based defence alliance could be an alternative option to Czech membership of NATO. However, following the installation of a new American radar system in the Czech Republic there were tensions within the party over foreign policy. The party was also a supporter of minority rights, immigrants rights and gender rights.[4]

The Green Party was unable to repeat its success in 2010 elections, losing all seats in both chambers.

In the party's 2022 leadership election the incumbent co-leaders, Magdalena Davis and Michal Berg, were elected for another term.[5]

In the party's 2024 November leadership election, Gabriela Svárovská and Matěj Pomahač, were elected.[6]

Election results

Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic

Year Leader Vote Vote % Seats Place Government
1990 Jan Martin Ječmínek 295,844 4.1
0 / 200
7th No seats
1992 František Trnka 421,988 6.52
3 / 200
4th Opposition
Part of Liberal-Social Union, which won 16 seats in total
1996 did not participate
1998 Emil Zeman 67,143 1.12
0 / 200
9th No seats
2002 Miroslav Rokos 112,929 2.36
0 / 200
6th No seats
2006 Martin Bursík 336,487 6.29
6 / 200
5th Coalition
2010 Ondřej Liška 127,831 2.44
0 / 200
9th No seats
2013 Ondřej Liška 159,025 3.19
0 / 200
8th No seats
2017 Matěj Stropnický 74,335 1.46
0 / 200
11th No seats
2021 Michal Berg &
Magdalena Davis
53,334 0.99
0 / 200
10th No seats

Senate

Presidential

Indirect Election Candidate First round result Second round result Third round result
Votes %Votes Result Votes %Votes Result Votes %Votes Result
2008 Jan Švejnar 128 49.10 Runner-up 141 47.19 Runner-up 111 44.05 Lost
Direct Election Candidate First round result Second round result
Votes %Votes Result Votes %Votes Result
2013 Táňa Fischerová[7] 166,211 3.23 7th supported Karel Schwarzenberg

European Parliament

Election List leader Votes % Seats +/− EP Group
2004 Unclear 73,932 3.16 (#7)
0 / 21
New
2009 Jan Dusík 48,621 2.06 (#9)
0 / 21
Steady 0
2014 Ondřej Liška 57,240 3.78 (#9)
0 / 21
Steady 0
2019[a] Jiří Pospíšil 276,220 11.65 (#4)
0 / 21
Steady 0
2024 Johanna Nejedlová 46,127 1.55 (#11)
0 / 21
Steady 0
  1. ^ Run in a joint list with STAN, TOP 09 and LES.

Logos

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Zelení - Pro členy". zeleni.cz. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Nordsieck, Wolfram (2010). "Czech Republic". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Strana zelených". idnes.cz. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Green Party (Strana Zelených, SZ)". Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Strana zelených si na online sjezdu zvolila". Deník N (in Czech). 29 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Zelené povedou spolu bývalá diplomatka Svárovská a zastupitel Prahy 16 Pomahač". ČeskéNoviny.cz (in Czech). Czech News Agency. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Na Hrad nepatří Fischer, ale Fischerová, řekli zelení. Sbírají podpisy". iDNES.cz. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2017.