KDU-ČSL
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Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party
Křesťanská a demokratická unie – Československá strana lidová |
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| Leader | Pavel Bělobrádek |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Headquarters | Prague 2, Palác Charitas |
| Newspaper | New Voice |
| Think tank | Institute of Political and Economical Studies |
| Youth wing |
Young Christian Democrats Young Populars |
| Women's wing | KDU-ČSL Women Association |
| Membership | 27,662 |
| Ideology |
Christian democracy Social conservatism Regionalism Centrism European federalism |
| Political position | Centre to centre-right |
| National affiliation | Coalition |
| European affiliation | European People's Party |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International |
| European Parliament group | European People's Party |
| Colors | Yellow |
| Chamber of Deputies |
14 / 200
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| Senate |
16 / 81
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| European Parliament |
3 / 21
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| Regional councils |
55 / 675
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| Local councils |
4,066 / 62,178
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| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www |
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The Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (Czech: Křesťanská a demokratická unie – Československá strana lidová, KDU–ČSL, often shortened to lidovci ('the populars') is a Christian-democraticpolitical party in the Czech Republic. The party took part in almost every Czech Government since 1990. In the June 2006 election, the party won 7.2% of the vote and 13 out of 200 seats; but in the 2010 election, this dropped to 4.4% and they lost all their seats. The party regained its parliamentary standing in the 2013 legislative election winning 14 seats in the new parliament and thereby becoming the first party ever to return to the Chamber of Deputies after being dropped out.
Towards the end of the 19th century Roman Catholics in Bohemia and Moravia joined political movements inside Cisleithanian Austria-Hungary. The Christian-Social Party was set up in September 1894 in Litomyšl, and the Catholic National Party in Moravia was set up in September 1896 in Přerov.
Československá strana lidová (ČSL) was created in January 1919 in Prague, reuniting other Catholic parties, and Jan Šrámek was selected as its chairman. In 1921, ČSL entered the government of Czechoslovakia, and was subsequently part of governing coalitions regardless of political changes.
After the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Šrámek served as head of Czechoslovak government in exile (in the United Kingdom). After 1945, ČSL was part of the national unity government, forming its most right-wing section. When the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia took over all power in February 1948, many ČSL officials were imprisoned. The party lost any real influence and was kept as a de facto puppet of Moscow-aligned communists (see National Front). In turn, it was allowed to keep a token presence of ČSL in government until 1989.
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Wikipedia