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2002 Czech Social Democratic Party presidential primaries

22 October 2002 - 25 November 2002 2012 →

Nominee Miloš Zeman Jaroslav Bureš Otakar Motejl Party ČSSD Independent Independent Popular vote 12,836 6,428 5,323 Percentage 49.5% 24.8% 20.5%

Presidential primaries for the Czech Social Democratic Party were held between 22 October and 25 November 2002 in order to choose the party's candidate for the 2003 presidential election. Miloš Zeman received the highest number of votes. Other candidates were Jaroslav Bureš, Otakar Motejl and Otakar Potůček. Jakub S. Trojan was originally a 5th candidate.

Candidates

• Miloš Zeman, former Prime minister of the Czech Republic and leader of ČSSD
• Otakar Motejl, Ombudsman and former Minister of Justice
• Jaroslav Bureš, Minister of Justice
• Martin Potůček, university professor, public policy analyst and journalist.

Background

Leader of ČSSD Vladimír Špidla said after 2002 legislative election that party will have its own candidate. It led to speculations that such candidate could be Miloš Zeman who retired from politics at the time. Some prominent members of the party expressed their support for Zeman. Zeman's candidature wasn't supported universally. Some politicians such as Lubomír Zaorálek didn't like the possibility and wanted Otakar Motejl as party's candidate. Zeman's supporters included Zdeněk Škromach. Špidla's co-worker Součková mentioned that there is 3rd secret candidate. Debate about possible candidates led to speculations that party could hold a primary election to decide.

On 9 September 2002, Minister of Justice Jaroslav Bureš announced his candidature. He was offered the candidature by Stanislav Gross. Bureš was the first candidate to officially run. ČSSD announced decision to hold a primary on 26 September. Zeman announced his candidature on 30 September 2002. On 1 October 2002 the candidates were Miloš Zeman, Jaroslav Bureš, Otakar Motejl and Rudolf Zahradník. Martin Potůček joined the primaries on 20 October. Zeman Bureš and Motejl were considered the main candidates. Zahradník later withdrawn from primaries.

Primaries started on 22 October 2002. Otakar Motejl was considered the front-runner. He was leading according to the poll by STEM. Voting ended on 25 November. It was reported at the time that Zeman was leading the poll.

Opinion polls

Results

Result and aftermath

Miloš Zeman received the highest number of votes and won the primaries. However, the results of the vote were not binding and some politicians wanted to nominate Otakar Motejl who came third. Zeman agreed that he will not participate in the first round of voting in the presidential election, with the party selecting Jaroslav Bureš instead. It was planned that Zeman would become the party's candidate in the second round of voting, taking over from Bureš. However, Bureš was surprisingly eliminated in the first round.

Controversy

Primaries were criticised for weak preparations. It was reported on 23 October that voters were able to participate repeatedly and there were falsified votes. Another point of controversy was turnout. ČSSD expected that masses of people would participate but the turnout was much lower.

References

1. "ČSSD vyzývá: Vyberte nám prezidenta". iDNES.cz. 22 October 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
2. "Prezidentské referendum ČSSD končí". Kurzy.cz. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
3. "Referendum posouvá na Hrad Zemana". iDNES.cz. 29 November 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
4. "Prezidentské referendum ČSSD". Kurzy.cz. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
5. "Skončila anketa ČSSD o návrhu kandidáta na prezidenta". www.sds.cz. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
6. "Do referenda ČSSD jde nakonec pět kandidátů, mezi nimi i teolog Trojan". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). 16 October 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
7. "Zeman prezidentem? Má šanci". iDNES.cz. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
8. "ČSSD řeší, zda má být Zeman prezidentem". iDNES.cz. 15 July 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
9. "Bureš: Chci být příštím prezidentem". iDNES.cz. 9 September 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
10. "ČSSD rozpoutá kvůli kandidátovi kampaň". iDNES.cz. 26 September 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
11. "Rytíř z Vysočiny". iDNES.cz. 30 September 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
12. "Souboj o příštího prezidenta začal". iDNES.cz. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
13. "ČSSD má pro Hrad nového kandidáta". iDNES.cz. 2 October 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
14. "ČSSD vyzývá: Vyberte nám prezidenta". iDNES.cz. 22 October 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
15. "Motejl míří na Hrad". iDNES.cz. 4 November 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
16. "Prezidentské referendum ČSSD končí, vede Zeman". iDNES.cz. 25 November 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
17. "Otakar Motejl má z kandidátů na prezidentský úřad zatím největší důvěru veřejnosti". Stem.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 12 March 2017.
18. "V přímé volbě prezidenta by asi vyhrál Klaus nebo Pithart". kurzy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
19. "Názory veřejnosti na způsob volby prezidenta". Stem.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 12 March 2017.
20. "Část ČSSD dál tlačí Motejla na Hrad". iDNES.cz. 3 December 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
21. "Zeman: Držím slib, do první volby nejdu". iDNES.cz. 2 December 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
22. "Předsednictvo ČSSD navrhlo Bureše". iDNES.cz. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
23. "Radio Prague - Presidential candidates step forward as Vaclav Havel's term draws to an end". Retrieved 12 January 2017.
24. "Second presidential election in Czechia , 24th January 2003". Robert-schuman.eu. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
25. "Jak lze podvést prezidentské referendum". iDNES.cz. 23 October 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
26. "Pád akce referendum". iDNES.cz. 13 November 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2017.

v t e Miloš Zeman
3rd President of the Czech Republic (2013–present) 3rd Prime Minister of the Czech Republic (1998–2002) 2nd President of the Chamber of Deputies (1996–1998)
Early years	1990 Czechoslovak parliamentary election 1992 Czechoslovak parliamentary election
Leadership	ČSSD 1993 Czech Social Democratic Party leadership election 1995 Czech Social Democratic Party leadership election 1996 Czech legislative election 1996 President of the Czech Chamber of Deputies election 1997 Czech Social Democratic Party leadership election 1998 Czech legislative election 1999 Czech Social Democratic Party leadership election SPO March 2010 Party of Civic Rights leadership election 2010 Czech legislative election
Premiership	Miloš Zeman's Cabinet Opposition agreement
First presidential run	2002 Czech Social Democratic Party presidential primaries 2003 Czech presidential election
Presidency	2013 Czech presidential election 2013 Czech political corruption scandal Jiří Rusnok's Cabinet 2013 Czech legislative election Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet Support to Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign 2017 Czech government crisis 2017 Czech legislative election Andrej Babiš's Cabinets I II 2018 Czech presidential election 2018 Czech political crisis Milion chvilek pro demokracii Je to na nás! 2019 London summit COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic 2021 Brussels summit 2021 Czech legislative election Petr Fiala's Cabinet
Family	Ivana Zemanová (spouse)
See also	A week with the President Party of Civic Rights

v t e Social Democracy (Czech Republic)
Leaders [cs]	Antonín Němec Bohumír Šmeral Antonín Němec Antonín Hampl Zdeněk Fierlinger Bohumil Laušman Blažej Vilím Václav Majer Vilém Bernard Karel Hrubý Jiří Horák Miloš Zeman Vladimír Špidla Stanislav Gross Bohuslav Sobotka (interim) Jiří Paroubek Bohuslav Sobotka Milan Chovanec (interim) Jan Hamáček Roman Onderka (interim) Michal Šmarda Jana Maláčová
Leadership elections	1990 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2006 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2018 2019 2021 (April) 2021 (December) 2023 2024
Presidential candidates	Tomáš Masaryk Edvard Beneš Klement Gottwald Václav Havel Jaroslav Bureš Miloš Zeman Jan Sokol Jan Švejnar Jiří Dienstbier Jr. Josef Středula
Presidential election primaries	2002 2012
Governments	Kramář Tusar I Tusar II Beneš Švehla I Švehla II Udržal II Malypetr I Malypetr II Malypetr III Hodža I Hodža II Hodža III Fierlinger Gottwald I Gottwald II Zeman Špidla Gross Paroubek Fischer Sobotka Babiš II
Organisation	Chamber of Deputies Caucus Cíl Association of Patients Social Democratic Women Christian Social Platform Idealists.cz Masaryk Democratic Academy Mayors and Governors Club Orange Club Senate Caucus Senior Club Union of Workers' Sports' Unities Young Social Democrats Zvonečník
Alliances	Current Party of European Socialists Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Socialist International Progressive Alliance Former SDAPÖ Second International Labour and Socialist International Socialist Council Pětka National Front
History and related topics	2014 Referendum 2017 Czech government crisis 2018 Government referendum Independent Radical Social Democratic Party Opposition Agreement Socialist Party of the Czechoslovak Working People

• Czech Social Democratic Party
• 2002 elections in the Czech Republic
• October 2002 events in Europe
• November 2002 events in Europe
• Primary elections in the Czech Republic
• 2003 Czech presidential election