At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Czech Republic

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Vaclav HAVEL
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK
• Assembly: Czech Republic has a bicameral Parliament (Parlament) consisting of the Senate (Senat) with 81 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Poslanecka Snemovna) with 200 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by parliament to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Senate (Senat) 81 members are elected by popular vote*. In the Chamber of Deputies (Poslanecka Snemovna) 200 members are elected by popular vote.

* One-third of the Senate members are elected every two years.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• Vaclav KLAUS
  • Party: Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
• Jan SVEJNAR**
  • Party: Independent

** Supported by Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and Green Party

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Vaclav KLAUS
  • Party: Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
• Jan SVEJNAR**
  • Party: Independent

** Supported by Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and Green Party

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on February 28, 2003. KLAUS won the presidency in the third round of elections by securing 142 votes of the 281 combined votes of both chambers of parliament.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 10,384,603 (2008)
• Registered Voters: 281 ( The president is elected by parliament.)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,303,781 (2008)

·         Is Czech Republic a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Czech Republic ratified CEDAW: Yes, succession (22 February 1993)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 31 (Chamber of Deputies); 6 (Senate) (following the 2006 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 28 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Czech Republic a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Czech Republic ratified CRPD: Yes (28 September 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,557,690 (est.)