Czechia

Czechia falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 14) with regard to vertical accountability.

Political competition is robust at both the national and subnational levels, with transparent electoral procedures. The president is elected directly by citizens, with any eligible person over 40 years old able to run. The 2023 presidential election was declared free and fair by independent observers, and resulted in a runoff.

Parties must cross a 5% vote threshold to enter parliament. In 2021, no left-wing parties won seats for the first time since 1989. ANO, the main opposition party, has no members, and relies financially on leader Andrej Babiš. The governing coalition is diverse.

Freedom of information laws mandate public access to government information, though implementation is often slow, especially in smaller municipalities. Public bodies have improved compliance over time.

Czechia falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 14) with regard to vertical accountability.

Political competition is robust at both the national and subnational levels, with transparent electoral procedures. The president is elected directly by citizens, with any eligible person over 40 years old able to run. The 2023 presidential election was declared free and fair by independent observers, and resulted in a runoff.

Parties must cross a 5% vote threshold to enter parliament. In 2021, no left-wing parties won seats for the first time since 1989. ANO, the main opposition party, has no members, and relies financially on leader Andrej Babiš. The governing coalition is diverse.

Freedom of information laws mandate public access to government information, though implementation is often slow, especially in smaller municipalities. Public bodies have improved compliance over time.

In the category of horizontal accountability, Czechia falls into the upper-middle ranks internationally (rank 12).

The independent Supreme Audit Office audits public spending, but lacks enforcement power. The data protection office has faced challenges in recruiting enough experts to implement EU data protection laws fully.

The judiciary is independent. The previous president sought to undermine Constitutional Court independence by appointing a new court president early, but recent judicial appointments have been widely respected. Civil rights are broadly respected, but societal discrimination remains a concern.

Corruption and clientelism are widespread. Former Prime Minister Babiš frequently provoked controversy on this front, especially through the use of EU funds. Parliament has sufficient resources and powers to oversee the executive and help shape policy.

Czechia falls into the upper-middle ranks internationally (rank 12) with regard to coordination.

The government office helps to prepare programs and documents, and assists the prime minister, but no longer has a strategic planning team. The government’s legislative plan transparently allocates tasks among ministries. However, coordination between ministries, especially those controlled by different political parties, remains a challenge.

The coalition council is a key policy-coordination body, especially under the current five-party government. The “K-Five” body, which includes government party chairs, also plays a key role. Coalition party expert commissions communicate while preparing legislative proposals.

The Ministry of the Interior sets standards for public administration performance, but these are not associated with sanctions. Regions and municipalities carry out their own competencies and delegated tasks.

In the category of consensus-building, Czechia falls into the lower-middle ranks (rank 18).

The government does not systematically consult academic experts, except with regard to science policy. Employers and trade unions participate in negotiations with the government on major economic and social issues through the Council of Economic and Social Accord.

A broad range of social and economic actors are consulted during the policymaking process. Nonprofit and civil society representatives are included on several advisory bodies, but these consultations are often formal, with input frequently ignored. Some environmental NGOs participate in such councils, while others keep a distance from the government.

The country scores slightly above average in the OECD with regard to open data provision. However, experts identify gaps in government support for data reuse and uncertainties regarding data protection rules.

Czechia falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 14) in the area of sensemaking.

The public administration lacks a systematic approach to innovation, with developments occurring sporadically and based on political priorities. Evaluations indicate that employees are generally not motivated to propose new ideas, although this varies across departments.

Regulatory impact assessments are in theory required for all binding regulations proposed by ministries or other central government agencies. An RIA unit provides guidance in this process. However, are large share of government proposals are in practice exempt from these requirements.

Sustainability checks are part of every RIA, but are not very comprehensive. Evaluation of existing regulations’ effectiveness is sporadic. A new program extending the RIA system to include ex post evaluation has been approved, but has not yet yielded results.

Czechia falls into the upper-middle ranks (rank 11) in the area of economic sustainability.

A national circular economy strategy is in place, but the recycling infrastructure is weak. Infrastructure development has remained strongly reliant on EU funding.

The share of renewable energy production lags behind the European average. The government approved a draft climate and energy plan in October 2023, but there are substantial doubts as to whether the targets are feasible. Unemployment rates are very low, with regional and gender disparities. Labor shortages are a problem in some regions and sectors.

Tax rates are low overall, limiting the amount of revenue available for infrastructure investment. High environmental taxes revenues primarily reflect the continued use of harmful fuels. The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio has been rising, but remains low by EU standards at about 45%.

In the category of social sustainability, Czechia falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 17).

Education investment has risen, but pre-primary and primary education are underfunded. Teacher recruitment is challenging due to low pay. Access to early childhood education is limited, particularly for children under three, and financial barriers lower access to tertiary education. The Roma population faces discrimination in the education system.

Income inequality and poverty rates are relatively low. Many Czechs face serious debt-repayment issues. Healthcare spending is slightly above the OECD average, but life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are lower, with environmental and lifestyle factors contributing to health problems.

Gender equality is a concern, with significant income disparities between men and women, and stereotypical family role distribution. Maternity and parental leave provisions are generous, but childcare access remains insufficient. Before the Ukraine war, the country was not known for welcoming refugees, but it has taken in large numbers of Ukrainians.

Czechia falls into the bottom ranks internationally (rank 27) with regard to environmental sustainability.
Czech environmental policy is primarily driven by EU obligations. It has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. However, critics both inside and outside the government have questioned the plausibility of its targets. The plan envisions a phaseout of coal by 2033, but lacks a timeline for eliminating fossil-fuel subsidies.

The country ranks below the OECD and EU averages in terms of air quality, household exposure to solid fuels and water safety. Polluting energy sources contribute strongly to air pollution.

Despite decades of strategies on the issue, biodiversity loss remains a serious concern, largely due to agriculture and transport activities. The country is a high net greenhouse gas emitter, and has not made significant financial contributions to international climate activities in recent years.