Klaus signs Czech direct presidential election implementing law

Klaus signed the bill even though he said previously he considered the introduction of the direct election to be a fatal error.

This has been the last step for the laws changing the presidential election procedure to take effect. Until now, the president has been elected by the two houses of parliament.

The lower house passed the implementing bill in June and the upper house passed it in mid-July.

Czech citizens will elect their president directly for the first time next January or February.

The implementing bill follows up the already passed change to the constitution that embeds the direct presidential election. The whole Czech Republic will form one sole election ward. Unless any candidate gains an absolute majority of the vote in the first round, the two best advance to the second round to be held two weeks after the first.

The candidate's list can be submitted by at least 20 deputies, ten senators or every adult citizen who presents a petition with minimally 50,000 signatures. The Interior Ministry will check a sample of the signatures.

The candidates may spend maximally 40 million crowns on their campaign, in the second round no more than 10 million crowns.

Every candidate must form an election committee to be responsible for the campaign funding. The money is to be deposited in a special account. If a candidate agreed on a discount for the promotion campaign, the usual price would be added to the total. Anonymous campaigns are to be banned.

Autor: ČTK
www.ctk.cz