Candidates in Czechia's 2025 parliamentary elections were able to campaign freely and presented a wide range of political platforms, and media coverage provided voters with sufficient information to make a well-informed choice. At the same time, the campaign took place in a polarized environment and was characterized, at times, by divisive language and imagery, while the online campaign lacked an effective regulatory framework to ensure transparency and address disinformation and potential foreign interference.
These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on the 2025 parliamentary elections published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The elections were held under a generally robust legal framework and administered through a highly decentralized system, and public confidence in the election administration remained high. The report also notes that, for the first time, voters registered abroad were able to vote by post, contributing to the greater enfranchisement of Czech citizens abroad. At the same time, technical problems with the first-time use of electronic voter identification affected some voters, and accessibility arrangements did not ensure fully inclusive participation for persons with disabilities, it adds.
The report offers 27 recommendations to improve the election process and support efforts to bring it further in line with the commitments made by all OSCE countries, as well as other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.
Key recommendations include:
- Reviewing the formula for the distribution of seats in the parliament to strengthen the equality of the vote and address disproportions in the ratio of voters to individual mandates;
- Reinforcing the legal and institutional framework to address electoral violence and violence against women, including online violence, in a timely and effective manner;
- Providing the Office for the Supervision of the Management of Political Parties and Movements with adequate financial and human resources to ensure effective campaign finance oversight;
