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Civic Democratic Party
Občanská demokratická strana
Leader	Mirek Topolánek
Founded	1991
Headquarters	Jánský Vršek 13, Prague
Political ideology	Liberal conservatism, Conservatism with elements of euroscepticism fiscal: Right-wing, Social: Right-wing
International affiliation	{{{international}}}
European affiliation	European Democrat Union, Movement for European Reform
European Parliament group	EPP-ED
Colour(s)	blue
Website	www.ods.cz

Czech Republic

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the Czech Republic

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The Civic Democratic Party (Czech: Občanská demokratická strana - abbreviation: ODS) is the largest right-wing political party in the Czech Republic. In its public statements, it typically mixes eurosceptic and market liberal rhetoric, although it is often viewed as more moderate on both issues in actual policies.

The party was founded in 1991, after the Civic Forum split, by Václav Klaus and it is currently led by Mirek Topolánek. It led the Czech government in 1993-1997 and supported the government of the Czech Social Democratic Party in 1998-2002 under a power sharing agreement.

In the 2002 elections, it went from being the largest seat holder to being the second largest party in the Chamber of Deputies with 58 of 200 seats, and for the first time in its history, assumed the role of a true opposition party. The current Czech president, Václav Klaus, was a member of the party, but the head of government is from the rival Czech Social Democratic Party. In the European Parliament elections in June 2004 and in Senate and regional assembly elections in November 2004 it received over 30% of the votes.

In the 2006 elections it again was the largest seat holder in the Chamber of Deputies with 81 seats. It formed a government in coalition with the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and the Green Party (SZ).

Internationally, it is aligned with the International Democratic Union, the party itself claims to have similar ideas along the lines of the British Conservative Party, the Polish Civic Platform and the Spanish Partido Popular.

In July 2006, the Civic Democratic Party signed an agreement with the British Conservative Party to leave the EPP-ED Group and form a new centre-right European political called MER (Movement for European Reform) in 2009. Yet, at the same time, Mirek Topolánek “has not ruled out the possibility of staying in the EPP-ED".[1]

• 1992 Czech National Council: (in coalition with Christian Democratic Party 29,7 %) - 66 seats
• 1996 Chamber of Deputies: 29.6 % - 68 seats
• 1996 Senate: 29 seats (whole Senate elected, only one third in next elections)
• 1998 Chamber of Deputies: 27.8 % - 63 seats
• 1998 Senate: 9 seats
• 2000 Senate: 8 seat
• 2002 Chamber of Deputies: 25.4 % - 58 seats
• 2002 Senate: 9 seats
• 2004 Senate: 18 seats
• 2004 European Parliament: 30 % - 9 seats
• 2006 Chamber of Deputies: 35.4 % - 81 seats
• 2006 Senate: 14 seats

• ODS, the official website (mostly in Czech)

v • d • e Political parties in the Czech Republic
Chamber of Deputies (2006; 200 seats)	coalition: Civic Democratic Party (81) • Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (13) • Green Party (6) opposition: Czech Social Democratic Party (74, of which 2 crossed to the govt) • Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (26)
Senate (2006/7; 81 seats)	Civic Democratic Party (41) • Social Democracy (13) • Christian Democracy (11 incl. 1 elected independent) • Caucus of Open Democracy (7 – 1 from each of Civic Democratic Alliance, Green Party*, Freedom Union - Democratic Union*, Liberal Reform Party*, Party for the Open Society*, Path of Change*, and SN-SD/ED*) • Caucus SNK (6 – SNK European Democrats 3, Independents Movement 1*, Independent Mayors for Region 1*, Movement of Independents for Harmonious Development of Municipalities and Towns 1) • Communist Party (3)
European Parliament (2004; 24 seats)	Civic Democratic Party (9) • Communist Party (6) • SNK Union of Independents (3) • Social Democracy (2) • Christian Democracy (2) • Independents Movement (2, split to Independent Democrats and Politics 21)
Source: Czech Statistical Office, Senate (* for Senators from tiny electoral parties who are not their members)
Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of the Czech Republic