How is the President of the Czech Republic elected, and who can run for office?

Quick Overview

• The President of the Czech Republic is elected directly by the citizens through a secret ballot.
• The President’s term of office lasts 5 years.
• Who can run for president? A citizen of the Czech Republic who is eligible for election to the Senate—that is, who is at least 40 years old and meets other legal requirements.
• A candidate may be nominated by at least 20 members of the Chamber of Deputies, 10 senators, or a citizen with the support of at least 50,000 eligible voters.
• If no candidate receives the required majority in the first round, a second round is held 14 days later.
• The next regular presidential election will take place in 2028; the specific date has not yet been announced.

The constitutional framework and election rules are based primarily on the Constitution of the Czech Republic and the Act on the Election of the President of the Republic.

Are you dealing with a candidacy, the registration of a slate of candidates, or another legal issue related to the elections? Our attorneys will help you assess the proper procedure and options for challenging decisions made by election authorities.

What Laws Govern the Presidential Election

Presidential elections represent one of the most significant events in the Czech political system. The President of the Republic is the highest constitutional official, and his or her election is governed by detailed legislation. Since 2012, the election has been held by direct popular vote pursuant to the Act on the Election of the President of the Republic. This change fundamentally altered the way the head of state is elected and also introduced new obligations for citizens, candidates, and state authorities. Today, the electoral process is a combination of constitutional principles, statutory provisions, and practical rules defined by an implementing decree.

The fundamental legal framework is the aforementioned Act on the Election of the President of the Republic, which sets forth in detail the conditions for the presidential election. This Act stipulates that the president is elected by direct election, by secret ballot, and on the basis of universal, equal, and direct suffrage. The President’s term of office lasts five years, and the same person may be elected no more than twice in a row.

The implementing decree then sets forth the details —such as the templates for ballots, candidate lists, and records of the voting process and results. This decree also regulates the handling of election documentation, its archiving, and the procedure for its disposal after the statutory period has elapsed. These details ensure that the electoral process is not only constitutionally enshrined but also practically feasible and verifiable.

This legal framework ensures the legitimacy of elections, the protection of voters’ ballots, and the fairness of the entire process.

When Are the Presidential Elections and Who Calls Them?

The timing of presidential elections is primarily determined by the Constitution of the Czech Republic. A regular presidential election is held during the last 60 days of the incumbent president’s term of office, but no later than 30 days before the end of that term.

The President of the Senate calls the election no later than 90 days before it takes place. If the office of the president becomes vacant prematurely—for example, due to death or abdication—the election must take place within 90 days; in such a case, the President of the Senate announces it no later than 10 days after the office becomes vacant.

This mechanism ensures continuity in the exercise of the presidential office and minimizes the possibility of a constitutional crisis. In practical terms, this means that citizens always know when the presidential election will take place —either regularly every five years, or earlier if an extraordinary event occurs.

The President of the Senate also sets the exact dates for voting. The election generally takes place on Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., which is also in accordance with the provisions of the decree.

Czech citizens living or staying abroad may, provided they meet the legal requirements, not only vote in person at the relevant diplomatic mission but also cast a mail-in ballot.

Current President Petr Pavel took office on March 9, 2023, so the next regular presidential election will take place in 2028. However, the specific date for the 2026 election has not yet been announced.

Who Can Run for President

The eligibility requirements for running for president are clearly defined by law. A citizen of the Czech Republic who is eligible for election to the Senate may be elected President of the Republic. Therefore, the candidate must be at least 40 years of age by the second day of the election at the latest and must not be legally barred from exercising the right to vote. Furthermore, the same person may not be elected president more than twice in a row.

A candidacy may be submitted either on the basis of a petition signed by at least 50,000 citizens or through the endorsement of at least 20 members of the Chamber of Deputies or 10 senators.

The requirements for running for president vary depending on who nominates the candidate. In the case of a so-called “citizen candidate,” the candidate needs the support of at least 50,000 citizens eligible to vote for the president. Under current law, this support may also be obtained electronically. For a paper petition, the supporting citizen must provide the information required by law, including first name, last name, date of birth, and ID card or passport number, and must include a handwritten signature. The Ministry of the Interior then verifies whether the required threshold of valid supporters has been met.

The Ministry of the Interior accepts the candidate lists and decides on their registration. If a list is rejected, an appeal may be filed with the Supreme Administrative Court. After registration is complete, the State Election Commission conducts a random drawing to assign candidate numbers, which will appear on the ballots. This process is important because the order of candidates on the ballot has a psychological impact on voters, and ensuring its transparency is one of the pillars of fair competition.

A Real-World Example: Karel Diviš and the Disputed Signatures

The 2023 presidential election demonstrated the importance of judicial review. The Ministry of the Interior initially rejected Karel Diviš’s registration because, following a review of his petition, he did not have the required number of supporters. However, upon conducting its own review, the Supreme Administrative Court found that the ministry had incorrectly excluded certain entries. After correcting the calculation, the candidate had at least 50,007 valid supporters, and the court registered his candidate list. Even a relatively small number of incorrectly assessed signatures can thus determine whether a candidate will participate in the election at all.

Do you have doubts about the rejection of a candidate list or the election authority’s procedure? Election disputes have very short deadlines, so it is important to pursue legal action without delay.

A judicial review need not lead solely to the candidate’s subsequent registration. Prior to the 2023 presidential election, the Supreme Administrative Court, on the other hand, annulled the registration of candidate Denisa Rohanová. The candidate list had been submitted before the election itself was announced, and the court concluded that such a submission could not have produced the intended effects for an election announced at a later date.

How the President of the Czech Republic Is Elected and How Voting Takes Place

The President of the Czech Republic is elected by direct vote. If a candidate receives a majority of the valid votes cast in the first round, that candidate is elected president. If no candidate achieves this, a second round is held 14 days later, in which the two most successful candidates typically advance.

The voting process itself is strictly regulated. Voters must present an ID card or passport and will receive an official envelope and ballots. They place the ballot in the envelope and then deposit it in the ballot box. A decree specifies the exact formats for the ballots and the records of the voting process.

If a voter is unable to vote in person, they may request a portable ballot box, which the precinct commission will deliver to their home. Special provisions also exist for voters abroad who cast their ballots at diplomatic missions.

Voting is secret —polling stations are equipped with voting screens, and oversight is provided by precinct commissions. Transparency is also ensured by the commissions’ records and the ability of the Czech Statistical Office to conduct audits.

Who Counts the Votes and Who Oversees the Process

The counting of votes begins immediately after the polling stations close. Each precinct compiles its results and prepares a report, which it then forwards. The Czech Statistical Office collects the results from the individual precincts and compiles the overall election results. The report is subsequently approved by the State Election Commission, which announces the final results of the presidential election.

Thanks to the presence of precinct commissions composed of representatives from various political parties and a multi-level verification process, the process is as transparent as possible and minimizes the possibility of errors or manipulation.

Presidential elections are among the most appealing elections for voters. In the second round in 2023, voter turnout reached 70.25 percent, one of the highest turnout rates on record.

Election Results, Review, and Runoff

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a second round is held between the two top candidates.

Voters or candidates have the right to file a motion with the Supreme Administrative Court to invalidate the election or the vote. In the event of a violation of constitutional rights, it is also possible to file a constitutional complaint. If the court finds a serious violation of the law, it may order a repeat of the election in a specific district or even nationwide. These safeguards protect the fairness of elections and strengthen citizens’ trust in the democratic process.

The decree then specifies how long election documentation must be archived and when it may be destroyed. For example, used ballots or official envelopes may not be destroyed immediately; a waiting period of at least 30 days must be observed. This period begins when the deadline for challenging the election in court or filing a constitutional complaint has passed. Only when it is certain that the result will not be reviewed may the documents be formally destroyed. Conversely, important documents—such as candidate lists, petitions with signatures, or records of voting results—are retained for 10 years. Other less significant election documentation is then archived for 5 years.

How did we vote in previous years?

Since 2013, citizens of the Czech Republic have been electing the president directly. Until then, the head of state was elected by Parliament. Direct elections have brought not only greater public participation to the Czech political system, but also record voter turnout and strong public emotions.

The first direct presidential election took place in 2013. Miloš Zeman and Karel Schwarzenberg advanced to the second round. This was the first time in history that the president was not chosen by members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, but by all citizens eligible to vote. Zeman ultimately won the second round and became the first directly elected president of the Czech Republic.

The second direct election took place in 2018. The first round was held on January 12 and 13, and the second on January 26 and 27. Voter turnout was high—61.9% in the first round and as high as 66.6% in the second, the highest since the 1998 parliamentary elections. Incumbent President Miloš Zeman and former President of the Academy of Sciences Jiří Drahoš competed for the office of head of state. The margin between them was narrow: Zeman won re-election with 51.37%, while Drahoš received 48.63%.

The most recent election took place in January 2023 and resulted in a completely new president. The first round was very close—retired General Petr Pavel received 35.39% of the vote, while former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš received 35.00%. Voter turnout reached 68.2%. The second round then became one of the most closely watched moments in post-November history. Turnout climbed to 70.25%, one of the highest voter turnout rates ever recorded. Petr Pavel ultimately won by a clear margin—58.32% to 41.67% for Andrej Babiš. He took office on March 9, 2023.

Statistics from recent years thus show that presidential elections are among the most appealing votes for voters. Thanks to direct election, they have become a truly nationwide topic that significantly influences public debate and people’s interest in politics.

Summary

Presidential elections in the Czech Republic are held every five years, and the Senate President announces the date no later than 90 days before the end of the incumbent head of state’s term. The president is elected by direct, secret ballot based on equal and universal suffrage. Any Czech citizen over the age of 40 may run for office if they obtain the support of at least 50,000 signatures from citizens or a group of deputies or senators; candidate registration is reviewed by the Ministry of the Interior, and disputes are resolved by the Supreme Administrative Court. Voting generally takes place on Friday and Saturday; citizens vote at their place of residence, or, if necessary, with a voter ID card or through a diplomatic mission abroad. Votes are counted by precinct commissions; the entire process is overseen by the Czech Statistical Office, and the results are announced by the Ministry of the Interior. If no candidate secures a majority in the first round, a second round follows. The results may be challenged in court, and election records are retained for a precisely defined period—ballots may not be destroyed until the deadlines for review have expired; key documents are archived for ten years, and others for five years.