The main opposition party in the Czech Republic, the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD), claimed a landslide victory in this weekend's regional elections, the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) said Saturday.

In all 13 regions of the Czech Republic, the left-wing CSSD secured 280 of the 675 seats in the regional assemblies, adding 175 more to the present number, while the ruling Civic Democrats (ODS) took only 180, losing 111 seats in the new assemblies.

According to the CSU, the CSSD gained 35.85 percent of the vote nationwide. The runner-up ODS won only 23.57 percent.

The junior opposition Communists (KSCM) came after the ODS, gaining 114 seats, losing 43.

The junior ruling Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) gained 43 seats in the regions where they ran independently. They are hoping to grasp 13 more in the regions where they ran within an election coalition.

The Greens (SZ) have failed to defend the two seats they had in the outgoing assemblies, suffering a heavy loss.

The remaining 58 of the 675 seats contested were won by small local parties.

The regional polls coincided with the first round of senate elections in which the main opposition will probably have a chance to shake the ODS's dominance.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2008)