The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the House of Representatives (200 representatives, elected once in 4 years in a PR system) and the much weaker Senate (81 senators with 6-year terms, elected in single-member districts through a two-round majority vote; one third of the Senate changes every two years).
    The main executive power lies in the hands of the Government (headed by the Prime Minister), which is accountable to the House. The President is elected by both chambers of the Parliament, and has rather limited powers.
    The Constitutional Court oversees the constitutionality of legislative and executive acts. The Czech National Bank and the Supreme Audit Office are also among the institutions whose position is guaranteed by the Constitution.

More information on the constitutional institutions:

    The Constitution of the Czech Republic
    Foreign Ministry's info page on the country
 
 

Political parties (and the run-up to the 2002 election):

    Obcanska demokraticka strana (ODS, Civic Democratic Party) – the "conservative-liberal" (don’t you just love that combination?) party of "Professor" Klaus and his followers. They ruled the country in the early and mid-1990s as the major party. After corruption scandals in 1997 they were ousted from the government, since 1998 it supporting the minority government of CSSD. Currently a representative of the fashionable European mixture of nationalism and so-called liberalism.

    Ceska strana socialne demokraticka (CSSD, Czech Social Democratic Party). A self-explanatory name, I would say. Very Old Left in thinking, if you need a label. They currently run the country (at least they think so: or is it the "opposition partner", Mr. Klaus, that gets them to do whatever he wants?). Probably in the next government as well, either with ODS, or (parts of) the Koalice.

    Koalice ("The Coalition"), currently of US-DeU – a liberal party, stemming from the crisis of 1997 – and KDU-CSL – a traditional Christian Democratic party. Originally produced in a defensive reflex by several minor parties that would be erased by changes in electoral system (as prepared by ODS and CSSD), later reduced to only two mid-size parties. Their program is rather minimalist (as a result of having to put liberalism and Christian socialism together), but they are the most pro-European party and aim at disrupting the power duopoly of the ODS and CSSD. Despite all reservations, my pick for the June 2002 election.

    The Communists are still the fourth relevant party, but why would I give you their link? Other parties won’t make it to the House, but if you want to check them out: ODA (the smaller, more intellectual version of the ODS, relevant in the early 1990s, now heading for oblivion after being ousted by KDU-CSL from the Coalition project); Strana zelenych (Green Party, never made it big); Nadeje ("The Hope", a new project before the 2002 election, trying to capitalize on the discontent of the people, launched a little too late).
 
 

(This page is also under development and suggestions to improve it are welcome. Links to NGOs, think tanks, media etc. will follow.)