Czech President Petr Pavel today convened the newly-elected Chamber of Deputies for Monday, 3 November, his office announced on its website.
Pavel said previously that the date would give the parties enough time for post-election negotiations. The 3-4 October general election was won by the ANO movement, which is negotiating a government coalition with Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and the Motorists.
The president is bound to convene the new Chamber of Deputies to start no later than 30 days after the election. The MPs will meet for a constituent session, to be convened by the former house speaker if they are still an MP. If they are not, as is the case this year, the session should be convened by the most senior former vice-speaker who is still an MP, in this case the outgoing First Deputy-Speaker Vera Kovarova (STAN).
The lower house of Czech parliament sits permanently, usually for the entire four-year term. It will begin on the same date as its constituent session.
At the constituent session, Kovarova will take the oath first before the plenary, followed by the swearing-in of members of parliament. The Chamber of Deputies will then establish the Mandate and Immunity Committee, and the session will continue with the election of the speaker, setting the number of deputy speakers and their election. Finally, the MPs will establish the lower house committees. Only at the end of the constituent session will the outgoing government resign.
