The Chamber of Deputies building on Sněmovní Street in the Lesser Town
The Chamber of Deputies building on Sněmovní Street in the Lesser TownPhoto: Jan Polák, 2012 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Poslanecká sněmovna) is the lower house of the Czech parliament. After the break-up of Czechoslovakia it succeeded the Czech National Council and until the first elections to the Senate in 1996 it also exercised the Senate's powers.[1]*

Composition and powers

The Chamber has 200 deputies over 21 years of age, elected for four years by proportional representation.[1] Deputies sit on committees and commissions and may form parliamentary groups of at least ten members. The Chamber can be dissolved only by the President in cases defined by the Constitution.[1] The Chamber has the decisive position in the legislative process: a bill rejected by the Senate or vetoed by the President can be passed again by an absolute majority of all deputies. Only the Chamber debates the state budget act and only it expresses confidence or no confidence in the government.[1]

The assembly hall of the Chamber of Deputies
The assembly hall of the Chamber of DeputiesPhoto: Ervinpospisil, 2006 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Seat

The Chamber sits in palaces in the Lesser Town. Its centre is the Thun Palace in Sněmovní Street; the complex also includes the Smiřický Palace, the Sternberg Palace and other houses nearby.[1]

2025 election

In the October 2025 election 26 parties and coalitions competed. Turnout reached 68.95%, the highest since 1998.[2] The ANO 2011 movement won with 34.51% of the vote and 80 seats. The SPOLU coalition obtained 23.36% and 52 seats, Mayors and Independents 11.23% and 22 seats, the Czech Pirate Party 8.97% and 18 seats, SPD 7.78% and 15 seats, and Motoristé sobě 6.77% and 13 seats.[2] Of the SPOLU seats, according to ČTK's calculation, 27 went to ODS, 16 to KDU-ČSL and 9 to TOP 09.[3] 133 men and 67 women were elected, a record share of women.[2] ANO, SPD and Motoristé hold 108 seats together.[3]

Present

The Speaker of the Chamber is Tomio Okamura (SPD).[4] On 15 January 2026 the Chamber expressed confidence in the third government of Andrej Babiš.[5] Of 22 attempts at a vote of no confidence in the history of the independent Czech Republic only one has succeeded, against the government of Mirek Topolánek in 2009. The opposition motion of 1 October 2026 failed.[4]

Chronology

  • — The Chamber of Deputies did not pass the opposition's motion of no confidence in the government of Andrej Babiš; 83 deputies voted in favour. → ČTK / České noviny iROZHLAS

Pages linking here

Sources

  1. ČTK / České noviny — 19 April 2006
  2. Český statistický úřad — 5 October 2025
  3. ČTK / České noviny — 5 October 2025
  4. ČTK / České noviny — 1 October 2026
  5. ČTK / České noviny — 15 January 2026