Top court hands advantage to coalitions standing in general elections

The Czech Constitutional Court has overturned parts of the country’s electoral law that judges said breach the principle of equality and impinge on the chances of competing parties. Under the change, coalitions of parties standing together would need just 5 percent of the vote to reach the threshold for the Chamber of Deputies. Previously each party in a coalition was required to get at least 5 percent of the vote on their own to make the lower house.

The court also struck off an article that enabled a situation under which far more votes have been required to win seats in some constituencies than in others.

The changes are due to take effect immediately, meaning they should apply during elections planned for October. The amendment must be approved by both houses of Parliament.