Social Democracy (Czech Republic)#History

{{more citations needed section|date=June 2019}}

The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria ({{langx|cs|Sociálně Demokratická strana Českoslovanská v Rakousku}}) was a political group founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary as a regional wing of the Social Democratic Party of Austria. Founded in Břevnov atop earlier social democratic initiatives, such as the Ouls, it represented much of the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament, and its significant role in the political life of the empire was one of the factors that led to the creation of an independent Czechoslovakia. After the collapse of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I, the party became one of the leading parties of the first Czechoslovak Republic. Its members were split over whether to join the Comintern, which in 1921 resulted in the fracturing of the party, with a large part of its membership then forming the new Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.

File:CSSD prukaz 1945-1948.jpg

During the occupation of the Czech lands by Nazi Germany, the party was officially abolished, but its members organized resistance movements contrary to the laws of the German-controlled Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, both at home and abroad. After the re-establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1945, the party returned to its pre-war structure and became a member of the National Front which formed a new governing coalition. In 1948, after the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia gained a parliamentary majority, the Czech Social Democratic Party was incorporated into the Communist Party. At the time of the Prague Spring, a reformist movement in 1968, there were talks about allowing the recreation of a social democratic party, but Soviet intervention put an end to such ideas. It was only after the Velvet Revolution of 1989 that the party was recreated. Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which came into effect on 1 January 1993, the ČSSD has been one of the major political parties of the Czech Republic, and until October 2017 was always one of the two parties with the largest number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

At the 1998 Czech legislative election, the party won the largest number of seats but failed to form a coalition government, so formed a minority government under its leader Miloš Zeman. With only 74 seats out of 200, the government had confidence and supply from the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), under the so-called Opposition Agreement. At the 2002 Czech legislative election, the party gained 70 of the 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. Its leader Vladimír Špidla became prime minister, heading a coalition with two small centre-right parties, the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU–ČSL) and the Freedom Union – Democratic Union (US-DEU) until he was forced to resign in 2004 after the ČSSD lost in the 2004 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic.

The next leader was Stanislav Gross, serving as leader from 26 June 2004 to 26 April 2005 and as prime minister from 4 August 2004 to 25 April 2005. He resigned after a scandal when he was unable to explain the source of money used to buy his house. The successor of Gross as prime minister was Jiří Paroubek, while Bohuslav Sobotka became acting party leader from 26 April 2005 to 13 May 2006. Paroubek was then elected as the new party leader in the run-up to the 2006 Czech legislative election, at which the party won 32.3% of the vote and 74 out of 200 seats. The election at first caused a stalemate, since the centre-right parties plus the Green Party and the centre-left parties each had exactly 100 seats. The stalemate was broken when two ČSSD deputies, Miloš Melčák and Michal Pohanka, abstained during a vote of confidence, allowing a coalition of the Civic Democrats (ODS), the KDU-ČSL, and the Green Party to form a government, while the ČSSD went into opposition.

File:Hamáček Sobotka 2015.JPG (on the right) and the next former party leader and interior minister Jan Hamáček]]

At the 2010 Czech legislative election, the ČSSD gained 22.08% of the vote but remained the largest party, with 56 seats. Failing to form a governing coalition, it remained in opposition to a government coalition of the ODS, conservative TOP 09 and conservative-liberal Public Affairs parties. Paroubek resigned as leader on 7 June and was succeeded by Sobotka.{{Cite web|date=2010-05-29|title=Šéf ČSSD Paroubek po volbách rezignoval. Prohráli obyčejní lidé, řekl|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/sef-cssd-paroubek-po-volbach-rezignoval-prohrali-obycejni-lide-rekl.A100529_183840_domaci_lf|access-date=2021-10-10|website=iDNES.cz|language=cs}} It remained the largest party after the 2013 Czech legislative election, and in December of the same year formed a governing coalition with the populist ANO 2011 and the centrist Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party.{{Cite web|author=Leos Rousek|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/czechs-clear-way-for-threeparty-coalition-government-1386784091|title=Czechs Clear Way for Three-Party Coalition Government|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=11 December 2013|access-date=23 December 2017}} The leader of ČSSD, Bohuslav Sobotka, became the new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.{{Cite web|date=2014-01-17|title=Novým premiérem byl jmenován předseda ČSSD Bohuslav Sobotka|url=https://www.vlada.cz/cz/media-centrum/aktualne/novym-premierem-byl-dnes-jmenovan-predseda-cssd-bohuslav-sobotka--115271/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=vlada.cz|language=cs}}

The party suffered heavy losses in the 2017 Czech legislative election and was reduced to 15 seats, the worst result in its history. ČSSD suffered another defeat in the Prague Municipal, local and Senate elections in 2018. ČSSD lost 12 senators (only one managed to win re-election), all Prague deputies and more than half of their local councillors. In 2019 ČSSD lost all their representatives in the European Parliament. Some political commentators have interpreted the string of poor results as a sign of ČSSD losing their position in national politics.{{Cite web|url=https://globe24.cz/domov/67981-eurovolby-jsou-pro-cssd-debaklem-potvrdili-politologove|title=Eurovolby jsou pro ČSSD debaklem, potvrdili politologové|website=Globe24.cz|agency=Czech News Agency|date=27 May 2019}} ČSSD suffered another defeat in 2020 Regional Elections and Senate elections, when they lost 10 senators (none re-elected) and 97 regional deputies.{{Cite web|url=https://cz.boell.org/en/2020/11/02/krajske-senatni-volby-2020-horke-vitezstvi-pro-babise-dominance-opozice-v-senatu|title = Czech Senate and regional elections 2020: Bitter victory for the Prime Minister, dominance of the opposition in the Senate |website=Heinrich Böll Stiftung}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13597566.2021.1948839?journalCode=frfs20|doi=10.1080/13597566.2021.1948839|title=The 2020 Czech regional elections: A story of a winner that lost|year=2021|last1=Kouba|first1=Karel|last2=Lysek|first2=Jakub|journal=Regional & Federal Studies|volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=485–497|s2cid=237827332 |url-access=subscription}} From 2018 to 2021, ČSSD had Jan Hamáček as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Jana Maláčová as Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Lubomír Zaorálek as Minister of Culture, and Miroslav Toman as Minister of Agriculture.

In the 2021 election the party fell short of the 5% threshold and subsequently lost all of its seats in the Chamber of Deputies. This came as a shock to much of the party membership, who were reportedly optimistic about party results even as predictions showed party losing its representation. Party chair Jan Hamáček resigned on the election day, as some high-ranking members blamed ANO for the lost.{{Cite web |last=Hromková |first=Dominika |date=2021-10-09 |title=Krvavě jsme zaplatili za Babišovu vládu, zní od sociálních demokratů |url=https://www.idnes.cz/volby/cssd-ohlasy-volby.A211009_220521_volby_bur |access-date=2025-01-16 |newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra |language=cs}}

Later that year, Mayor of the Nové Město na Moravě Michal Šmarda defeated former Minister of Labor Jana Maláčová in the leadership contest,{{Cite web |date=2021-12-10 |title=Sociální demokraté zvolili předsedu strany. V prvním kole zvítězil Michal Šmarda, získal 130 hlasů |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/cssd-socialni-demokracie-novy-predseda-strany-kandidati-smarda-malacova_2112101405_voj |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Czech Radio |language=cs}} vowing to return the party to Parliament. He also said he does not want to repeat the cooperation with ANO, as he reckoned that it will not exist when the next parliamentary election is held.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-10 |title=Nový šéf ČSSD: Strany lidem lžou, že svět zůstane stejný. My ne|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-politika-novy-sef-cssd-strany-lidem-lzou-ze-svet-zustane-stejny-my-ne-183159 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}

At its 2023, the party elected to change its name to just Social Democracy, and adopt a new visual identity with a new logo.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-10 |title=Značka ČSSD končí. Strana se jmenuje SOCDEM, šéfem zvolili Šmardu|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-politika-cssd-a-ruze-skonci-zbyde-po-ni-socdem-na-okvetnim-platku-232355 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}} Šmarda was reelected as chairman, claiming that the party will be an alternative to both a SPOLU-led government and an ANO-led opposition.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-10 |title=ČSSD se mění na SOCDEM, delegáti schválili i nové logo. Post předsedy obhájil Šmarda |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/csssd-socdem-socialni-demokrate-sjezd-logo_2306101618_cen |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Czech Radio |language=cs}} He also says he sees the party back at a 30% vote share in four years and at 10% in the next parliamentary election,{{Cite web |date=2023-06-10 |title=Sjezd ČSSD začal. Zdanil bych bohaté, banky i oligarchy, říká její šéf |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-politika-zdanil-bych-bohate-banky-i-oligarchy-rika-pred-sjezdem-sef-cssd-smarda-232227 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}} claiming that under his leadership, SOCDEM will not form a government with ANO, ODS, TOP 09, SPD or KSČM.{{Cite news |last=Perknerová |first=Kateřina |date=2023-06-16 |title=Šéf SOCDEM Michal Šmarda: Vláda s ANO byla chyba. Už ji nezopakujeme |url=https://www.denik.cz/z_domova/michal-smarda-predseda-socdem-cssd.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |newspaper=Deník |language=cs|publisher=Vltava Labe Media}}

For the 2023 Czech presidential election, the party nominated a trade union leader Josef Středula, though he dropped out shortly before the election. Šmarda refused to support any other candidate, but called on his fellow party members to vote against Andrej Babiš, Jaroslav Bašta and Karel Diviš.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=Šéf ČSSD po odstoupení Středuly: Budu volit "menší zlo" |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/volby-prezidentske-sef-cssd-po-odstoupeni-streduly-budu-volit-mensi-zlo-222807 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}

Former party leader Lubomír Zaorálek was selected as the party's lead candidate for the 2024 European Parliament election. The party had chosen to run independently, after coalition talks with the Greens failed,{{Cite web |last=Kopecký |first=Josef |date=2023-12-13 |title=Zelené povede do eurovoleb Nejedlová. Bude za ně kandidovat i Okamura |url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/zeleni-volby-do-evropskeho-parlamentu-nejedlova-osamu-okamura.A231213_124159_domaci_kop |access-date=2025-01-16 |newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra |language=cs}} but opted to invite Budoucnost members on its list.{{Cite web |title=Mladí budou bojovat v barvách SOCDEM |website= Sociální demokracie |url=https://socdem.cz/akt-aktuality/mladi-budou-bojovat-v-barvach-socdem/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |language=cs}} SOCDEM received 1.86% of the vote share at the election, failing to enter the European Parliament for the second consecutive time, and finishing 9th overall. Šmarda, describing the result as his personal failure, called for a new leadership election, blaming the party disunity for the result.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-13 |title=Prožil jsem velké zklamání. Šmarda po debaklu SOCDEM svolal sjezd, který zvolí nové vedení |url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/domaci-prozil-jsem-velke-zklamani-smarda-po-volebnim-debaklu-socdem-svolal-sjezd-ktery-zvoli-nove-vedeni-40476309 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Novinky.cz |language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}

After the unsuccessful election, Jana Maláčová was elected chairwomen of the party, defeating former Minister for Human Rights Jiří Dienstbier Jr.. Maláčová called for the party to shift to the left and called for a Czech version of the French New Ecological and Social People's Union alliance. Doing so, she refused to work with KSČM, causing a stir among some party members.{{Cite web |last=Kopecký |first=Josef |date=2024-10-05 |title=Maláčová vede SOCDEM. Slíbila širokou levicovou koalici proti ožebračování |url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/socdem-volebni-sjezd-hradec-kralove-malacova-dienstbier.A241004_174337_domaci_kop |access-date=2025-01-16 |newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra |language=cs}} Later, former ministers Jan Petříček, Petra Buzková{{Cite web |date=2024-10-07 |title=Petříček a Buzková opouštějí SOCDEM, nesouhlasí se směřováním strany |url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/socdem-tomas-petricek-petra-buzkova-odchod-ze-strany.A241007_142247_domaci_misl |access-date=2025-01-16 |newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra |language=cs}} and former party leader Jan Hamáček had left the party in protest.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-13 |title=Jan Hamáček končí v SOCDEM, důvodem je podle něj současné vedení|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-jan-hamacek-konci-v-socdem-duvodem-je-podle-nej-soucasne-vedeni-253879 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}

Shortly after being elected, Maláčová began talks with the Stačilo! alliance, seeking cooperation for the 2025 Czech parliamentary election, citing the success of the French NUPES. This resulted in further protests from party members as well as the Young Social Democrats, which warned against another mass departure of members if SOCDEM collaborates with Stačilo!.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-13 |title=Jednání Maláčové s Konečnou drhne|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/volby-do-poslanecke-snemovny-spoluprace-s-komunisty-dal-stepi-socdem-267688 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}

In February 2025, Maláčová announced that the talks have broken down, saying the Stačilo! was not "not left-wing enough" and that it focused on anti-system politics rather than on social-economical issues. The party has added that it is still open to cooperation with other subjects.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-10 |title=SOCDEM nebude kandidovat společně se Stačilo |url=https://www.e15.cz/domaci/socdem-nebude-kandidovat-spolecne-se-stacilo-hnuti-podle-malacove-neni-dostatecne-levicove-1422235 |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=E15.cz |language=cs |agency=Czech News Agency|publisher=Czech News Center}}{{Cite web |last=Grim |first=Jakub |date=2025-02-10 |title=SOCDEM nebude kandidovat s komunisty. ‚Stačilo! nechce zdůrazňovat levicová témata,‘ říká Maláčová |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/socdem-nebude-kandidovat-s-komunisty-stacilo-nechce-zduraznovat-levicova-temata_2502101045_jgr |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Czech Radio |language=cs}}

Czech lands as part of Austria-Hungary:

• 1878–1893: Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Party in Austria (Sociálně-demokratická strana českoslovanská v Rakousku), then part of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
• 1893–1918: Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Workers' Party (Českoslovanská sociálně demokratická stranu dělnická), an independent party

Czechoslovakia:

• 1918–1938: Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers' Party (Československá sociálně demokratická strana dělnická), and was a member of the Labour and Socialist International between 1923 and 1938;Kowalski, Werner. ''Geschichte der sozialistischen Arbeiter-Internationale: 1923 – 1938, Berlin: Dt. Verl. d. Wissenschaften, 1985. p. 327. after the split-up of Austria-Hungary, the portion of the party that ended up within the new Republic of Austria split from the main party to form the Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers Party in the Republic of Austria
• 1938–1941: National Labour Party (Národní strana práce), which was a merger of the party with the left wing of the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party to unite the left in opposition to the ruling Party of National Unity
• 1945–1948: Czechoslovak Social Democracy (Československá sociální demokracie)
• 1948–1989: merged with the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia but concurrently existed as an exile party with its headquarters in London
• 1990–1993: Czechoslovak Social Democracy (Československá sociální demokracie)

Czech Republic:

• 1993–2023: Czech Social Democratic Party (Česká strana sociálně demokratická), keeping the previous abbreviation ČSSD
• Since June 2023: Social Democracy (Sociální demokracie), adopting the abbreviation SOCDEM.

File:Czechoslovak Social Democracy.png|Party logo, 1945–1948 1990–1992
(1948–1990 in-exile)

File:Social Democratic Party symbol 1993.jpg|Party logo, 1992–1998

File:Czech Social Democratic Party logo (2021).svg|Party logo, 2021–2023

File:Logo of the Social Democracy (Czech Republic).svg|Party logo, 2023–

ČSSD-nové logo.png|Electoral logo for 2020 elections

Logo of the Czech Social Democratic Party (2021).svg|Electoral logo for 2021 elections

In economic matters, the ČSSD party platform is typical of Western European social democratic parties. It supports a mixed economy, a strong welfare state, and progressive taxation. In foreign policy, it supports European integration, including joining the Eurozone, and is critical of the foreign policy of the United States, especially when in opposition, though it does not oppose membership of the Czech Republic in NATO.

; Further references

{{Cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/ods-ztratila-tri-tisice-clenu-babis-laka-vice-nez-peake.A130506_153744_domaci_hv|title = ODS ztratila tři tisíce členů, Babiš láká více než Peake|date = 6 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/pocty-clenu-politickych-stran-usvit.A140409_171109_domaci_hv|title = Počet členů ANO strmě roste, Okamurův Úsvit zamrzl na devíti členech|date = 11 April 2014}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/ze-socialni-demokracie-odeslo-letos-dalsich-2-500-clenu-za-poslednich-9-let-jich-ubylo-vice-nez-10-tisic-76435|title=ČSSD nevzkvétá. Jen letos odešlo dalších 2 500 členů|website=Seznam Zprávy|date=25 July 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/cssd-vysycha-tradicni-zdroj-prisla-o-miliony-od-clenu-kteri-ji-opustili-98576|title=ČSSD vysychá tradiční zdroj. Přišla o miliony od členů, kteří ji opustili|website=Seznam Zprávy|date=8 April 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/politicke-strany-kscm-kdu-csl-ceska-piratska-strana-cssd-ano-spd-stan-top-09_2012301522_dok|title=Během posledního roku přišla sociální demokracie o 2000 členů. Novým hnutím naopak lidé přibývají|website=iROZHLAS|date=30 December 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/domaci/3344058-clenska-zakladna-ods-je-vetsi-nez-cssd-z-mladych-uskupeni-nejvice-roste-spd|title=Členská základna ODS je větší než ČSSD, z mladých uskupení nejvíce roste SPD|website=ČT24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/politicke-strany-clenove-nabory-levice-prisaha-spd.A210725_151427_domaci_stad|title=Politické strany na vymření. Mizí jim straníci, nejvíce těm z levice|date=27 July 2021|website=iDNES.cz}}{{cite web |title=Během posledního roku přišla sociální demokracie o 2000 členů. Novým hnutím naopak lidé přibývají |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/politicke-strany-kscm-kdu-csl-ceska-piratska-strana-cssd-ano-spd-stan-top-09_2012301522_dok |website=iROZHLAS |date=30 December 2020 |access-date=29 March 2021 |language=cs}}

File:Brno, Česká, Joštova, předvolební stánek ČSSD 2018-09-26 (18.17.12).jpg

File:Brno, Veveří, předvolební plakát ČSSD 2019-05-14 18.59.27.jpg

; Notes

• In 1996, the whole Senate elected (81 seats), while in next elections only one third of seats is to be contested.

File:J Hamáček 2015 Praha.JPG]]

File:Miloš Zeman 2012-12-03 cropped.jpg, the president of the Czech Republic

]]

• Josef Boleslav Pecka (1878–1893)
• Josef Hybeš (1887–1893)

• Josef Steiner (1893–1904)
• Antonín Němec (1904–1915)
• Bohumír Šmeral (1916–1917)

• Antonín Němec (1917–1925)
• Antonín Hampl (1925–1938)

• Zdeněk Fierlinger (1945–1947)
• Bohumil Laušman (1947–1948)

• Blažej Vilím (1948)
• Václav Majer (1948–1972)
• Vilém Bernard (1972–1989)
• Karel Hrubý

• Slavomír Klaban (1989–1990)
• Jiří Horák (1990–1993)

• Miloš Zeman (28 February 1993 – April 2001)
• Vladimír Špidla (April 2001 – 26 July 2004)
• Stanislav Gross (26 July 2004 – 26 April 2005)
• Bohuslav Sobotka (2005–2006; acting)
• Jiří Paroubek (2006–2010)
• Bohuslav Sobotka (2011–2017)
• Milan Chovanec (2017–2018; acting)
• Jan Hamáček (2018–2021)
• Roman Onderka (2021; acting)
• Michal Šmarda (2021–2024)
• Jana Maláčová (since 2024)

• Bohumil Laušman
• Elections in the Czech Republic
• Politics of the Czech Republic

{{notelist|30em}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Czech Social Democratic Party}}

• {{official website}} {{in lang|cs}}
• [http://www.sonapa.cz/ Religious wing website]
• [http://sdz.socdem.cz/ Women wing website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509075120/http://www.cssd.cz/english-version Party basic data in English]

{{Social Democracy (SOCDEM)}}

{{Party of European Socialists}}

{{Czech political parties}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1878 establishments in Austria-Hungary

Category:Social democratic parties in the Czech Republic

Category:Political parties established in 1878