Legislative Behaviour of MPs in the Czech Republic in Times of Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 COVID-19 (coronavirus (coronavirus disease disease 2019)2019) pandemic pandemic has affected has affected almostalmost every aspect every aspect of our of lives. ourWhile lives. millions While millions of people of people foughtfought with the with disease, the disease, economies, economies, sociesocieties ties and and institutions institutions facedfaced side-effects side-effects of government of government measures measures resisting resisting the the spread spread of the of the virus. virus. This This article article describes describes the effects the effects of theof pandemic the pandemic on theon legis- the legislative lative behaviour behaviour of MPs of MPs in one inof one theof worst-hit the worst-hit countries countries in the in world, the world, the Czech the Czech Republic. Republic. The results The results show show that the that number the number of billof proposals bill proposals and roll andcalls roll sub- calls substantially stantially increased increased during during the pandemic the pandemic compared compared to pre-pandemic to pre-pandemic times.times. Since Since the start theof start the of outbreak, the outbreak, a third of a third roll calls of and roll calls a halfand of bill a half proposals of billconcerned proposals concerned the pandemic. the pandemic. Nonetheless, Nonetheless, the outbreak thedid outbreak not substantially did not substantially affect the voting affect the unity voting of parliamentary unity of parliamentary party groups party norgroups the opposition nor the opposition became more became supportive more supportive of the cabinet. of the Still, cabinet. while the Still, liberal whilePirates the liberal became Pirates morebecame cooperative moreduring coopera- the tive pandemic during than the pandemic the pre-pandemic than theperiod, pre-pandemic the rightist period, antisystem the rightist partyantisystem Freedom party and Direct Freedom Democracy and Direct receded Democracy fromreceded the restfrom of the theparties rest of on the the parties pandemic on the pandemic issues. issues.