Alternative History
Chair of the Government of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic
Předseda vlády Československé federativné republiky
Predseda vlády Československej federativne republiky
Emblem of the Government of Czechoslovakia (WFAC)
Government Seal
Markéta Pekarová Adamová
Incumbent
Markéta Pekarová Adamová

since 25 October 2021
Style Mrs Prime Minister
(informal)
Her Excellency
(diplomatic)
Residence Kramářova Vila
Seat Prague
Appointer President of Czechoslovakia
Term length Four years, renewable indefinitely
Inaugural holder Karel Kramář
Formation 14 November 1918; 106 years ago (1918-11-14)
Salary 2,925,600 Kč annually

The prime minister of Czechoslovakia, officially the Chair of the Government of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic (Czech: Předseda vlády Československé federativné republiky, Slovak: Predseda vlády Československej federativne republiky), is the head of the federal government of Czechoslovakia. The prime minister is the chief executive of the Federal Cabinet and heads the executive branch.

Role and authority[]

Vote of confidence[]

History[]

The office of Prime Minister was established in 1918. From 1918 to 1938, the government was centralized and located in Prague, although various officials had presided over executive bodies governing the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia. During the first four years from 1918 to 1922, there were three prime ministers from three different partier: Karel Kramář of the nationalist National Democracy, Vlastimil Tusar of the Social Democratic Party and Edvard Beneš of the National Socialist Party held the premiership. From 1922 to 1938, the period was dominated by Prime Ministers from the Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People (RSZML, also known as "Agrarians" and, later, "Republicans") leading either grand coalitions (1922–1926, 1929–1938) or centre-right coalitions (1926–1929). The longest reigning Prime Minister of the first republic was Antonín Švehla, who held the premiership from 1922 to 1926 and from 1926 to 1929. On 5 November 1935 Milan Hodža became the first Slovak to be appointed Prime Minister, a position he held until 22 September 1938. During the Sudeten Crisis and the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, the premiership was held by General Jan Syrový heading a caretaker government.

Longest-sitting Prime Ministers[]

Nr. Prime Minister Party Period Days Years, months, days
1 Alexander Dubček ČSSD 3 June 1968 – 2 June 1976
13 March 1978 – 23 April 1982
4,423 12 years, 40 days
2 Václav Klaus RS 3 July 1986 – 12 February 1996 3,511 9 years, 224 days
3 Miloslav Rechcígl RS 11 June 1960 – 3 June 1968 2,914 7 years, 357 days
4 Robert Fico ČSSD 6 November 2013 – 25 October 2021 2,910 7 years, 353 days
5 Václav Majer ČSD 5 April 1945 – 2 July 1952 2,645 7 years, 88 days
6 Mirek Topolánek RS 4 September 2006 – 6 November 2013 2,620 7 years, 63 days
7 Miloš Zeman ČSSD 12 February 1996 – 24 June 2002 2,324 6 years, 133 days
8 Antonín Švehla RSZML 7 October 1922 – 18 March 1926
12 October 1926 – 1 February 1929
2,102 5 years, 276 days

Living former Prime Ministers[]

Amenities[]

Office and residences[]

The official residence of the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia is Kramář's Villa (Kramářova vila). The residence is located at Gogolova 212/1, Hradčany, in the federal capital city of Prague. The building was built from 1911 to 1914 and designed by the Viennese architect Friedrich Ohmann.

Salary[]

The salaries of the cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, is decided by Cabinet Ministers' Salary Committee of the Federal Assembly.

List of Prime Ministers[]

Republic of Czechoslovakia (1918–1938)[]

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Ethnicity Term of office Party Cabinet
Took office Left office Duration
1 Karel Kramář Karel Kramář
(1860–1937)
Czech 14 November
1918
8 July
1919
236 days Czechoslovak National Democracy
(ČsND)
Kramář
All-national coalition
ČsND – ČSDSD – RSZML – ČSNS – ČSLS
Revolutionary National Council
2 Vlastimil Tusar Vlastimil Tusar
(1880–1924)
Czech 8 July
1919
25 May
1920
1 year, 69 days Czechoslovak Social Democratic Worker's Party
(ČSDSD)
Tusar I
Red-Green coalition
ČSDSD – RSZML – ČSNS
25 May
1920
15 September
1920
Tusar II
Red-Green coalition
ČSDSD – RSZML – ČSNS
1
(1920)
3 Jan Černý Jan Černý
(1874–1959)
Czech 15 September
1920
26 September
1921
1 year, 11 days Independent Černý I
Caretaker cabinet
4 Edvard Beneš Edvard Beneš
(1874–1959)
Czech 26 September
1921
7 October
1922
1 year, 11 days Czechoslovak National Socialist Party
(ČSNS)
Beneš
All-national coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSNS – ČSL – ČsND
5 Antonín Švehla Antonín Švehla
(1873–1933)
Czech 7 October
1922
9 December
1925
3 years, 162 days Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People
(RSZML)
Švehla I
All-national coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSNS – ČSL – ČsND
9 December
1925
18 March
1926
Švehla II
All-national coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSNS – ČSL – ČsND
2
(1925)
6 Jan Černý Jan Černý
(1874–1959)
Czech 18 March
1926
12 October
1926
208 days Independent Černý II
Caretaker cabinet
7 Antonín Švehla Antonín Švehla
(1873–1933)
Czech 12 October
1926
1 February
1929
2 years, 112 days Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People
(RSZML)
Švehla III
Gentlemen’s coalition
RSZML – ČSL – ČŽOS – ČsND – HSĽS – BdL – DCV
8 František Udržal František Udržal
(1866–1938)
Czech 1 February
1929
7 December
1929
3 years, 266 days Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People
(RSZML)
Udržal I
Gentlemen’s coalition
RSZML – ČSL – ČŽOS – ČsND – HSĽS – BdL – DCV
7 December
1929
24 October
1932
Udržal II
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČsND – ČŽOS – DSAP – BdL
3
(1929)
9 Jan Malypetr Jan Malypetr
(1873–1947)
Czech 24 October
1932
14 February
1934
3 years, 12 days Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People
(RSZML)
Malypetr I
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČsND – DSAP – BdL
14 February
1934
4 June
1935
Malypetr II
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČsND – ČŽOS – DSAP – BdL
4 June
1935
5 November
1935
Malypetr III
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČŽOS – DSAP – BdL
4
(1935)
10 Milan Hodža Milan Hodža
(1878–1944)
Slovak 5 November
1935
18 December
1935
3 years, 12 days Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People
(RSZML)
Hodža I
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČsND – DSAP – BdL
18 December
1935
21 July
1937
Hodža II
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČŽOS – DSAP – BdL – DCV
21 July
1937
22 September
1938
Hodža III
Grand coalition
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – ČŽOS – NS – DSAP – BdL
11 Jan Syrový Arm. Gen.
Jan Syrový
(1888–1970)
Czech 22 September
1938
17 November
1938
56 days Independent Cabinet of the Defence of the Republic

Government of the Republic of Czechoslovakia in Exile (1938-1945)[]

After the German conquest of Czechoslovakia, a Czechoslovak government-in-exile was formed first in Paris under the protection of France and Britain. Following the Fall of France, the Czechoslovak government-in-exile relocated to London. Šrámek was appointed prime minister in exile by President Edvard Beneš on 21 July 1939 and served until 5 April 1945. The government was recognized by France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and, later, by the United States. On 5 April 1945, a new government-in-exile was formally installed in Košice with Václav Majer as Prime Minister. He headed a grand coalition named the National Front (Czech: Národní fronta, Slovak: Národný front) which governed until the formation of the Interim National Assembly on 28 October 1945.

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Ethnicity Term of office Party Cabinet
Took office Left office Duration
Jan Syrový Arm. Gen.
Jan Syrový
(1888–1970)
Czech 17 November
1938
21 July
1939
246 days Independent Syrový II
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – SĽS
Jan Šrámek Msgr. ThDr
Jan Šrámek
(1870–1956)
Czech 22 September
1938
21 July
1939
5 years, 258 days Czechoslovak People’s Party
(ČSL)
Šrámek I
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – SĽS
12 November
1942
5 April
1945
Šrámek II
RSZML – ČSDSD – ČSL – ČSNS – SĽS
Václav Majer Václav Majer
(1904–1972)
Czech 5 April
1945
6 November
1945
215 days Czechoslovak
Social Democracy

(ČSD)
Majer I
National Front
ČSD – RS – KSČ – ČSL – ČSNS

Czechoslovak Republic (1945–1948)[]

On 6 November 1945, the first post-war government was appointed by the Interim National Assembly. Václav Majer of the Czechoslovak Social Democracy (ČSD) was Prime Minister, heading a National Front coalition which governed until the new Federal Constitution had been adopted by the Constituent National Assembly and the first federal elections for the Federal Assembly were held in 1948. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) participated in the government from 1945 until the Communist cabinet ministers were expelled from the government on 24 February 1948 in response to the communist coup attempt.

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Ethnicity Term of office Party Cabinet
Took office Left office Duration
12 Václav Majer Václav Majer
(1904–1972)
Czech 5 April
1945
2 July
1946
3 years, 87 days Czechoslovak
Social Democracy

(ČSD)
Majer I
National Front
ČSD – RS – KSČ – ČSL – ČSNS
Interim National Assembly
2 July
1946
27 February
1948
Majer II
National Front
ČSD – RS – KSČ – ČSL – ČSNS
Constituent National Assembly
27 February
1948
1 July
1948
Majer III
National Front
ČSD – RS – ČSL – ČSNS

Czechoslovak Federative Republic (since 1948)[]

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Ethnicity Term of office Party Cabinet
Took office Left office Duration
12 Václav Majer Václav Majer
(1904–1972)
Czech 1 July
1948
26 June
1952
3 years, 361 days Czechoslovak
Social Democracy

(ČSD)
Majer IV
National Front
ČSD – RS – ČSL – ČSNS
1
(1948)
13 Josef Černý Josef Černý
(1885–1971)
Czech 26 June
1952
13 March
1955
2 years, 260 days Republican Party
(RS)
Černý
RS – ČSD – ČSL – ČSNS
2
(1952)
14 Jozef Lettrich Jozef Lettrich
(1905–1969)
Slovak 13 March
1955
8 June
1956
5 years, 92 days Republican Party
(RS)
Lettrich I
RS – ČSD – ČSL – ČSNS
8 June
1956
13 June
1960
Lettrich II
RS – ČSD – ČSL – ČSNS
3
(1956)
15 Miloslav Rechcígl, senior Miloslav Rechcígl
(1904–1973)
Czech 13 June
1960
5 July
1964
7 years, 356 days Republican Party
(RS)
Rechcígl I
RS – ČSD – ČSL – ČSNS
4
(1960)
5 July
1964
3 June
1968
Rechcígl II
RS – ČSL
5
(1964)
16 Alexander Dubček Alexander Dubček
(1921–2006)
Slovak 3 June
1968
5 June
1972
8 years, 21 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Dubček I
ČSSD – ČSNS
6
(1968)
5 June
1972
24 June
1976
Dubček II
ČSSD – ČSNS
7
(1972)
17 Lubor Zink Lubor Zink
(1920–2003)
Czech 24 June
1976
13 March
1978
1 year, 262 days Republican Party
(RS)
Zink
RS – ČSL – SD
8
(1976)
18 Svatopluk Potáč Svatopluk Potáč
(1925–2014)
Czech 13 March
1978
9 October
1978
210 days Independent Potáč
Caretaker cabinet
19 Alexander Dubček Alexander Dubček
(1921–2006)
Slovak 9 October
1978
26 May
1981
3 years, 298 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Dubček III
ČSSD – RS – ČSL
9
(1978)
26 May
1981
24 September
1981
Dubček IV
ČSSD
24 September
1981
3 August
1982
Dubček V
ČSSD – ČSL – ČSNS
20 Jiří Horák Jiří Horák
(1924–2003)
Czech 3 August
1982
11 July
1986
3 years, 342 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Horák
ČSSD – ČSL – ČSNS
10
(1982)
21 Václav Klaus 1990 Václav Klaus
(1941–)
Czech 11 July
1986
12 July
1990
9 years, 216 days Republican Party
(RS)
Klaus I
RS – ČSL
11
(1986)
12 July
1990
7 July
1994
Klaus II
RS – ČSL
12
(1990)
7 July
1994
12 February
1996
Klaus III
RS – ČSL
13
(1994)
22 Josef Tošovský Josef Tošovský
(1950–)
Czech 12 February
1996
22 July
1996
161 days Independent Tošovský
Caretaker cabinet
23 Miloš Zeman PM Miloš Zeman
(1944–)
Czech 22 July
1996
25 July
2000
5 years, 337 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Zeman I
ČSSD
14 (1996)
25 July
2000
15 July
2002
Zeman II
ČSSD – ČSL – ČSNS
15 (2000)
24 Vladimír Špidla Vladimír Špidla
(1951–)
Czech 15 July
2002
4 September
2006
4 years, 51 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Špidla
ČSSD – ČSL – ČSNS – SZ
16 (2002)
25 Mirek Topolánek PM Mirek Topolánek
(1956–)
Czech 4 September
2006
9 January
2007
6 years, 248 days Republican Party
(RS)
Topolánek I
RS
17 (2006)
9 January
2007
13 July
2010
Topolánek II
RS – ČSL – SZ
13 July
2010
10 May
2013
Topolánek III
RS – ČSL – LDS
18 (2010)
26 Jan Fischer Jan Fischer
(1956–)
Czech 10 May
2013
6 December
2013
210 days Independent Fischer
Caretaker cabinet
27 Robert Fico Robert Fico
(1964–)
Slovak 6 December
2013
13 December
2017
8 years, 11 days Czechoslovak
Social Democratic Party

(ČSSD)
Fico I
ČSSD – ČSNS – ČSL
19 (2013)
13 December
2017
17 December
2021
Fico II
ČSSD – ČSNS – SD
20 (2017)
28 Markéta Pekarová Adamová Markéta Adamová
(1984–)
Czech 17 December
2021
Present 2 years, 355 days Republican Party
(RS)
Adamová
SPOLU
RS – ČSL – SZ
21 (2021)

See also[]