Everything you need to know about the European Parliament elections

Here are some basic facts about voting in the European elections in Czechia. It concerns Czech voters and foreign nationals with permanent or temporary residence in the Czech Republic.

This will be the fifth time that Czechs will be able to elect their representatives to the European Parliament. In each member state, the election must take place sometime between June 6th and 9th. In Czechia, polling stations will be open on Friday, June 7, from 2 pm to 10 pm, and Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm. The results will be announced on Sunday evening, after voting in all member states has been concluded.

European Parliament|Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

The Czech Republic has 21 seats in the European Parliament, which will be contested by a total of 30 political parties, movements and coalitions, 10 fewer than in the previous elections in 2019.

A voter can vote for only one party's ballot, as is the case in elections to the Chamber of Deputies. On top of that, one can cast two preferential votes, which increase the chances of a particular candidate being elected despite their lower position on the electoral list. This preferential vote is given by circling the candidate's number.

However, unlike in the elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the Czech Republic is not divided into constituencies. All Czechs choose from the same list of candidates. To be elected, a party must win at least 5% of the vote. This varies in other European countries; elsewhere, only 2 or 3 percentage points are enough.

Photo: Kristýna Maková, Radio Prague International

Citizens of other member states can also vote in Czechia, if they have permanent or temporary residence in the Czech Republic. However, they must register with the relevant municipality no later than 40 days before the election. Foreigners residing in the Czech Republic who have already registered for the previous election do not have to register again.

What’s important to note is that unlike other types of elections, you cannot vote abroad - in embassies and consulates - in the European Parliament elections. Czechs who have permanent or long-term residence in another member state are an exception and can participate. However, they will choose from the candidates in that country, not those in the Czech Republic. A Czech resident in France would thus choose from French candidates, just as a French person living in the Czech Republic would choose from Czech candidates.