View source for Freedom Union – Democratic Union

{{Infobox political party
|country = the Czech Republic
|name = Freedom Union–Democratic Union
|native_name = {{nowrap|Unie svobody–Demokratická unie}}
|colorcode = {{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}
|logo = [[File:Logo of the Freedom Union – Democratic Union.svg|225px]]
|founded = 1998
|dissolved = 2011<ref name="unie">{{cite web|url=http://www.unie.cz/|title=Unie|access-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050822180440/http://www.unie.cz/|archive-date=22 August 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|split = [[Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic)|Civic Democratic Party]]
|ideology = [[Liberalism in the Czech lands|Liberalism]]<ref name="sphere">{{cite book|title=Democracy in the European Union: Towards the emergence of a public sphere| date=27 September 2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gn-EP8pRSf4C|access-date=6 September 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=113422432X|pages=172–174}}</ref><br />[[Liberal conservatism]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Unie svobody – zoufalé hledání identity|url=http://www.witzany.cz/archiv/clanky/Potrebuje_CR_lib_str.htm|website=www.witzany.cz|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref>
|position = [[Centre-right]]<ref name="union">{{cite web|url=http://old.radio.cz/en/html/us_deu.html|title=US-DEU: The Freedom Union – Democratic Union|publisher=Radio Prague|access-date=6 September 2012}}</ref>
|international =
|european =
|europarl =
|colours = Dark green
|website = {{url|http://www.unie.cz}}
|flag=
}}

The '''Freedom Union–Democratic Union''' ({{langx|cs|Unie Svobody–Demokratická unie}}, US–DEU) was a small [[pro-European]] [[Liberalism in the Czech lands|liberal]] [[list of political parties in the Czech Republic|political party]] in the [[Czech Republic]] from 1998 to 2011.

The '''Freedom Union''' was founded in January 1998 by former members of the [[Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic)|Civic Democratic Party]] who were unhappy with the leadership of [[Václav Klaus]]. After initially serving in a [[caretaker government]], Freedom Union went into opposition after the [[1998 Czech legislative election|1998 election]]. In opposition, Freedom Union merged with the [[Democratic Union (Czech Republic)|Democratic Union]], and formed an alliance with the [[KDU-ČSL|Christian Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party]] (KDU-ČSL).

From 2002 to 2006 Freedom Union was part of a coalition government with the [[Czech Social Democratic Party|Social Democratic Party]] and KDU-ČSL. However, in government the party lost support and at the [[2006 Czech legislative election|2006 election]] the party won less than 1% of the vote and failed to win any seats. The party disbanded on 1 January 2011.

==History==

===Founding===
The party was founded on 17 January 1998 at a congress in [[Litomyšl]] as the '''Freedom Union''' ({{lang|cs|Unie Svobody}}), as a split from the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).<ref name="dictionary">{{cite book|last1=Fawn|first1=Rick|last2=Hochman|first2=Jiří|title=Historical Dictionary of the Czech State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YKMHQk7l-AC|access-date=6 September 2012|edition=2nd|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0810856486|pages=103–104}}</ref> The party was founded after divisions within ODS over the leadership of Václav Klaus, and what the defectors said was his failure to tackle funding scandals.<ref name=union/><ref name=dictionary/> The former [[Ministry of the Interior (Czech Republic)|interior minister]] [[Jan Ruml]] led a challenge for the ODS leadership, but was defeated by Klaus by 227 votes to 72 at a special congress on 14 December 1997.<ref name="titanic">{{cite news|url=http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/7620/1/|title=Klaus's Titanic sinks, but captain refuses to leave party|last=Larsen|first=Ross|author2=Mortkowitz, Siegfried|date=18 December 1997|work=[[The Slovak Spectator]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> This prompted 30 ODS members of parliament to form the Freedom Union, including [[Finance Minister of the Czech Republic|Finance Minister]] [[Ivan Pilip]] and [[Ministry of Defence (Czech Republic)|Defence Minister]] [[Michal Lobkowicz]].<ref name=union/><ref name=dictionary/><ref name="velvet">{{cite book|last=Fawn|first=Rick|title=The Czech Republic: A Nation of Velvet|url=|year=2000|publisher=Harwood Academic|pages=70–77 |isbn= }}{{ISBN?}}</ref> The party elected [[Jan Ruml]] as its first leader on 2 February 1998.<ref name=dictionary/>

Pilip and Lobkowicz were among the members of the Freedom Union who served in the caretaker government of [[Josef Tošovský]], formed after the collapse of the coalition led by Václav Klaus.<ref name=velvet/> The party initially attracted public support, with a poll in March 1998 showing the Freedom Union on 13%, ahead of ODS on 8%.<ref name=velvet/> However the party suffered in the campaign for the [[1998 Czech legislative election|June 1998 election]], due to a lack of readiness for an election and a vague programme that was seen as being very similar to that of ODS.<ref name=velvet/>

===Opposition===
At the 1998 election the Freedom Union won 8.6% of the vote and 19 seats in the [[Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic|Chamber of Deputies]].<ref name=velvet/> Refusing to form a government with ODS led by Václav Klaus, or with the Social Democratic Party due to policy differences, the party went into opposition.<ref name="beyond">{{cite book|last=Shepherd|first=Robin|title=Czechoslovakia: The Velvet Revolution and Beyond|url=|year=2000|publisher=Macmillan|location=Houndmills|pages=71–72 |isbn=}}{{ISBN?}}</ref><ref name="surprise">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-15010072.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407124638/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-15010072.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 April 2016|title=Czech Vote Opens Way to Klaus, Surprise Outcome Gives Rightists Chance to Form Coalition|last=Green|first=Peter S|date=22 June 1998|work=[[International Herald Tribune]]|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> Instead the Social Democrats formed a [[minority government]], which was [[Opposition agreement|tolerated by ODS]].<ref name=beyond/>

In September 1998, the Freedom Union formed an alliance called the "[[Four-Coalition]]" with three other [[centre-right]] parties: KDU-ČSL, the Democratic Union, and the [[Civic Democratic Alliance]].<ref name="senat">{{cite web|url=http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2084_98.htm|title=Czech Republic: parliamentary elections senat, 1998|publisher=[[Inter-parliamentary Union]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> The Four-Coalition went on to win the most seats in the [[1998 Czech Senate election|November 1998 Senate election]].<ref name=senat/> Ruml resigned as leader in December 1999, and the following February the party elected [[Karel Kühnl]] as the new leader, with 193 votes compared to 87 for [[Vladimír Mlynář]].<ref name="kuehnl">{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-59648001.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409140022/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-59648001.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 April 2016|title=Czech Republic: Czech opposition party elects new leader|date=29 February 2000|work=Info Prod Research|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref>

The Freedom Union performed strongly at the [[2000 Czech Senate election|November 2000 Senate election]], becoming the third largest party in the [[Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic|Senate]].<ref name="economic">{{cite book|last1=Day|first1=Alan J|last2=East|first2=Roger|last3=Thomas|first3=Richard|title=A Political and Economic Dictionary of Eastern Europe|url=|year=2002|publisher=Europa Publications|location=London|page=221|isbn=}}{{ISBN?}}</ref> In late 2001, Freedom Union merged with the [[Democratic Union (Czech Republic)|Democratic Union]] party to form the Freedom Union-Democratic Union (US-DEU).<ref name=union/> However the Four-Coalition split at the beginning of 2002, after a lack of agreement on how to manage the high level of debts held by the Civic Democratic Alliance.<ref name=union/> Freedom Union-Democratic Union instead formed an alliance with KDU-ČSL to fight the [[2002 Czech legislative election|2002 election]] as the "Coalition".<ref name=union/>

===Government===
At the 2002 election the coalition of the Freedom Union-Democratic Union and KDU-ČSL won 31 seats in the Chamber of Deputies,<ref name="talks">{{cite news|url=https://www.questia.com/library/1P2-1690137/czech-socialists-begin-talks-to-form-government|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201014535/http://www.questia.com/library/1P2-1690137/czech-socialists-begin-talks-to-form-government|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2013|title=Czech Socialists Begin Talks to Form Government|last=Rybarova|first=Nadia|date=17 June 2002|work=[[The Independent]]|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> and subsequently became part of a coalition government led by the [[Czech Social Democratic Party]], which had a majority of one seat.<ref name=dictionary/> However, at the [[2002 Czech Senate election|2002 Senate election]], the Freedom Union-Democratic Union was reduced to only one senator.<ref name=dictionary/>

As a party of government, the party started losing members and support, and suffered defeat in the [[2004 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic|2004 European Parliament elections]], failing to pass the 5% threshold required to win seats.<ref name="confidence">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-95491700.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307212338/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-95491700.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 March 2016|title=Czech opposition party calls for a confidence vote on the government|date=14 June 2004|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> Party leader [[Petr Mares (politician)|Petr Mares]] resigned as a result, and was succeeded by the Regional Development Minister [[Pavel Němec]].<ref name="foreign">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-95895602.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312093806/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-95895602.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 March 2016|title=Czech president cuts foreign trip short to handle political crisis at home|last=Janicek|first=Karel|date=27 June 2004|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> The party won just one seat at the [[2004 Czech Senate election|2004 Senate election]].<ref name="senate">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-102426445.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125071256/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-102426445.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2013|title=Opposition makes gains in Czech Senate elections|last=Janicek|first=Karel|date=13 November 2004|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref>

===Decline and dissolution===
At the 2006 election, the party received just 0.3% of the vote, and lost all its seats in the [[Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic|Chamber of Deputies]], triggering the resignation of its leader, [[Pavel Němec]].<ref name=dictionary/> 

The party held a final party conference on 4 December 2010, where it was decided to disband the party as of 1 January 2011.<ref name=unie/>

==Policies==
The Freedom Union-Democratic Union was a centre-right liberal party,<ref name=union/> which promoted [[free market]] policies and supported lower taxes and [[Tuition payments|university tuition fees]].<ref name=union/> The party was also a consistent critic of [[corruption]].<ref name=union/>

However the party was also socially liberal, supporting the protection of the environment and minority rights.<ref name=union/> For the 2006 election, the party called for the legalisation of [[euthanasia]], [[same-sex marriage]] and [[legalisation of marijuana|marijuana]].<ref name="marriage">{{cite news|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/news-2006-06-05|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210065407/http://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/news-2006-06-05|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 February 2013|title=News|date=5 June 2006|publisher=[[Radio Prague]]|access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref> The party was also pro-European and supported [[Direct election|direct presidential elections]].<ref name=sphere/><ref name=union/>

Support for the party was mostly among younger urban voters and those with [[higher education]].<ref name=union/>

==Election results==

=== Chamber of deputies of the Czech Republic ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Vote
! Vote %
! Seats
! Place
! Government
|-
| [[1996 Czech legislative election|1996]]
| ...
| ...
|  {{Composition bar|33|200|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}<ref>Split from ODS in 1998</ref>
| 3rd
| No style="background-color:#77EE77" | Yes
|-
| [[1998 Czech legislative election|1998]]
| 513,596
| 8.6
| {{Composition bar|19|200|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
| 5th
| style="background-color:#EE7777" | No
|-
| [[2002 Czech legislative election|2002]]<ref>Participated in Coalition with [[Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party|KDU-ČSL]]</ref>
| 680,671{{increase}}
| 14.27{{increase}}
| {{Composition bar|8|200|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
| 4th
| No style="background-color:#77EE77" | Yes
|-
| [[2006 Czech legislative election|2006]]
| 16,457{{decrease}}
| 0.3{{decrease}}
|  {{Composition bar|0|200}}
| 11th{{decrease}}
| style="background-color:#EE7777" | No
|}

===Senate===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:right
|-
!rowspan=2|Election
!colspan=3|First round
!colspan=3|Second round
!rowspan=2|Seats
|-
!Votes
!%
!Places
!Votes
!%
!Places
|-
|align=left|[[1998 Czech Senate election|1998]]|| || || || || || ||{{Composition bar|1|27|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
|-
|align=left|[[2000 Czech Senate election|2000]]||99,504||11.6||5th||98,985||17.6||3rd|| {{Composition bar|8|27|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
|-
|align=left|[[2002 Czech Senate election|2002]]||48,879||7.3||5th||36,294||4.4||6th||{{Composition bar|1|27|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
|-
|align=left|[[2004 Czech Senate election|2004]]||26,431||3.6||7th||23,922||5.0||5th||{{Composition bar|1|27|{{party color|Freedom Union – Democratic Union}}}}
|-
|align=left|[[2006 Czech Senate election|2006]]||18,522||1.7||8th||7,367||1.3||9th||{{Composition bar|0|27}}
|-
|align=left|[[2008 Czech Senate election|2008]]|| || || || || || ||{{Composition bar|0|27}}
|}

===Presidential===
{| class="wikitable"
!width="120" rowspan="2"|Indirect Election
!width="180" rowspan="2" colspan=2|Candidate
!width="200" colspan=3|First round result
!width="200" colspan=3|Second round result
!width="200" colspan=3|Third round result
|-
!width="100"|Votes
!width="100"|%Votes
!Result
!width="100"|Votes
!width="100"|%Votes
!Result
!width="100"|Votes
!width="100"|%Votes
!Result
|-
|[[1998 Czech presidential election|1998]]
| bgcolor="grey" |
| [[Václav Havel]]
| 130
| 70.65
| {{depends|Runner-up}}
| 146
| 52.3
| {{yes2|Won}}
|colspan=3 align=center|—
|-
| [[2003 Czech presidential election|2003]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Czech Social Democratic Party}}" width="2px"|
| [[Jan Sokol (philosopher)|Jan Sokol]]
| 128
| 46.55
| {{depends|Runner-up}}
| 129
| 48.13
| {{depends|Runner-up}}
| 124
| 46.6
| {{no2|Lost}}
|}

===European Parliament===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Vote
! Vote %
! Seats
! Place
|-
| [[2004 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic|2004]]
| 39,655
| 1.7
| {{Composition bar|0|24}}
| 8th
|}

==Leaders==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Leader!!Period
|-
|[[Jan Ruml]]||2 February 1998 – December 1999<ref name=dictionary/>
|-
|[[Karel Kühnl]]||February 2000 – 2002<ref name=dictionary/>
|-
|[[Hana Marvanová]]||2002<ref name=dictionary/>
|-
|[[Ivan Pilip]] (interim)||July 2002 – January 2003<ref name="maranova">{{cite news|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/news-of-radio-prague-505|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130211044213/http://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/news-of-radio-prague-505|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2013|title=News of Radio Prague|date=4 July 2002|publisher=[[Radio Prague]]|access-date=3 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="will">{{cite news|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/will-new-freedom-union-leader-help-to-strengthen-party|title=Will new Freedom Union leader help to strengthen party?|last=Asiedu|first=Dita|date=21 January 2003|publisher=[[Radio Prague]]|access-date=3 September 2012}}</ref>
|-
|[[Petr Mares (politician)|Petr Mares]]||January 2003 – July 2004<ref name=foreign/>
|-
|[[Pavel Němec]]||July 2004 – 2006<ref name=dictionary/><ref name=foreign/>
|-
|Jan Černý||June 2007 – 2011<ref name=dictionary/>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050822180440/http://www.unie.cz/ Freedom Union–Democratic Union] official site

{{Freedom Union – Democratic Union (US–DEU)|state=expanded}}
{{Czech political parties}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedom Union - Democratic Union}}
[[Category:Freedom Union – Democratic Union| ]]
[[Category:Liberal parties in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Right-wing parties in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic) breakaway groups]]
[[Category:Social liberal parties]]
[[Category:Liberal conservative parties in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1998]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 2011]]