Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
{{Short description|Head of government of the Czech Republic}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Prime Minister
| body = the
Czech Republic
| native_name = {{native name|cs|Předseda vlády České republiky}}
| insignia = Emblem of the Government of the Czech Republic.svg
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Government Seal
| insigniaalt =
| flag =
| flagsize =
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| image = Petr Fiala (51940875566).jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
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| incumbent = Petr Fiala
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 28 November 2021
| department = Government of the Czech Republic
| style = Mr Prime Minister
{{small|(informal)}}
His Excellency
{{small|(diplomatic)}}
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation =
| member_of = {{ubl |Cabinet |European Council}}
| reports_to = Chamber of Deputies
| residence = Kramář's Villa
| seat = Straka Academy
| nominator =
| appointer = President
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength = Four years, renewable indefinitely
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| formation = {{start date and age|df=y|1993|1|1}}
| first = Václav Klaus
| last =
| abolished =
| superseded_by =
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| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary = 274,800 Kč monthly{{Cite web |date=2022-12-19 |title=Platy od ledna vzrostou o 13 procent. Prezidentovi, ministrům, poslancům i senátorům |url=https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/domaci/platy-vrcholnych-politiku-vzrostou/r~91dcb8027fb311ed8b4e0cc47ab5f122/ |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Aktuálně.cz |language=cs}}
| website = {{url|http://vlada.cz/en/vlada/premier/|vlada.cz}}
| footnotes =
}}
{{Politics of the Czech Republic}}
The prime minister of the Czech Republic (Czech: Předseda vlády České republiky){{refn|The formal translation is Chair of the Government. In Czech, the most common term is premiér (Premier), another one is ministerský předseda (Minister-President).|group="note"}} is the head of the government of the Czech Republic and the de facto leader and most powerful member of the executive branch.{{Cite journal|title=The Czech Parliamentary Regime After 1989 |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=442471|journal=Acta Politologica|volume=8 |issue=2|pages=5–29|issn=1804-1302}}
The Constitution provides that certain presidential actions require the prime minister's countersignature, including in appointing judges and ambassadors, commanding the military, ratifying treaties and issuing amnesties.Article 63
The current prime minister, Petr Fiala, leader of the ODS, was sworn-in by President Miloš Zeman on 17 December 2021, following the 2021 election and serves as 13th person in the office.
Role
The prime minister is also authorised to release a member of the government or from confidence, relating to classified information.
{{Cite journal|title=Zákon č. 412/2005 Sb.|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2005-412|journal=Zákony Pro Lidi|pages=63|date=18 October 2015|access-date=1 January 2006|language=cs}} By virtue of their position, they represent the Czech Republic in the European Council and are entitled to a diplomatic passport.{{Cite journal|title=Zákon č. 329/1999|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1999-329#p13|journal=Zákony Pro Lidi|pages=13|date=27 December 1999|access-date=21 December 2023|language=cs}}
The prime minister also serves as direct superior of the General Inspection of Security Forces, when they appoint and dismiss its director, who is responsible to them of the performance of their function.{{Cite journal|title=Zákon č. 341/2011 Sb.|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2011-341#p1-2|journal=Zákony Pro Lidi|pages=1|date=23 November 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|language=cs}}
According to Article 63 of the Constitution, the prime minister bears responsibility for signing the decisions together with the entire government of Czech Republic. They can authorise another member of the government to countersign and refuse to co-sign.{{Cite news|first=Daniel|last=Janek|title=Kontrasignace aktù prezidenta republiky|url=https://is.muni.cz/th/p0qdw/Kontrasignace_aktu_prezidenta_republiky.pdf|website=Masaryk University|location=Brno|access-date=7 September 2022|language=cs}}{{Cite news|title=Zeman chce do etické komise donašeče StB, Sobotka jmenování nepodepíše|url=https://www.e15.cz/domaci/zeman-chce-do-eticke-komise-donasece-stb-sobotka-jmenovani-nepodepise-1328017|website=E15|publisher=Czech News Center|date=24 January 2017|access-date=7 September 2022|language=cs}}
Powers
One important power of the prime minister is the possibility of replacing the entire government by their decision and declare a state of emergency. The government must approve or cancel its decision within 24 hours of its announcement.{{Cite journal|title=Ústavní zákon č. 110/1998 Sb., o bezpečnosti České republiky.|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1998-110#cl5-3|journal=Zákony Pro Lidi|pages=5|date=29 May 1998|language=cs}} In case a decision-making crisis would pass to the government, the prime minister would decide with Ministry of Defense.{{Cite news|first1=Lukáš|last1=Valášek|first2=Ondřej|last2=Kundra|title=Ministr obrany navrhuje v krizi posílení pravomocí premiéra na úkor parlamentu|url=https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/domaci/ministerstvo-obrany-navrhuje-aby-v-krizi-mohl-premier-ridit/r~d54ace9872bf11ea8b230cc47ab5f122/|website=Aktuálně.cz|location=Prague|publisher=Economia|date=30 March 2020|language=cs}}
Residence
The building was built from 1911 to 1914. It was designed by the Viennese architect Friedrich Ohmann.{{cite web|url=http://www.vlada.cz/en/urad-vlady/dalsi-objekty/kramars-villa-19318/|title=Kramář's Villa|date=2 October 2006|publisher=Government of the Czech Republic|language=en|access-date=11 June 2015}}
File:Kramarova vila.jpg|Kramář's Villa seen from the garden
File:Kramarova vila 2.jpg|View from the garden
File:Kramarova vila pracovna stul.jpg|Home office of the prime minister
List of heads of government
{{Main|List of prime ministers of the Czech Republic}}
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Czech Cabinet}}
{{CzechPMs}}
{{Europe heads of state and government}}
{{European Council}}
{{Prime Minister}}
Category:Prime ministers of the Czech Republic