Czechs begin voting in general elections

Czechs began voting in the country’s general elections at 2pm on Friday. The country’s approximately 8 million elligible voters are choosing from 31 parties and groupings and altogether 7,500 candidates. Close to 30 percent of the candidates are women. There are 38 contenders for each seat in the 200-member strong lower house of Parliament.

Voters will be able to select one party or movement and may give preferential votes to four of the candidates on the party ticket.

Polling stations will be open between 2pm and 10 pm on Friday and 8 am and 2 pm on Saturday. The preliminary results should be announced in the late afternoon on Saturday.