Czechs go to polls in Senate and regional elections

Czechs are going to the polls on Friday and Saturday in elections to decide on almost all of the country’s regional assemblies and a third of the seats in the Senate. A second round of voting will take place next weekend in Senate elections in which no candidate takes more than 50 percent of the vote. The elections are being seen as a test for the biggest party in the coalition government, the Civic Democrats, who now control 12 of 13 regional assemblies and hold a Senate majority. The coalition government faces a no-confidence vote next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, politicians casting their votes on Friday urged Czechs to take part in the voting process: Senate and regional elections in the Czech Republic traditionally have a lower voter turn out than parliamentary elections.

Author: Jan Velinger