Government

The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The bicameral legislature consists of the 81-seat senate, whose members are elected by popular vote to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms, and the 200-seat chamber of deputies, whose members are popularly elected for four-year terms. The president, who is the chief of state, is elected by parliament for a five-year term. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is appointed by the president, as is the cabinet. The leading political parties are the Civic Democratic Party, the Social Democratic party, the Christian Democratic party, and the Civic Democratic Alliance. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into eight administrative regions, including the capital.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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