Czechoslovak Socialist Party

(CSP; Československá Strana Socialistická), a political party formed in February 1948 from part of the Czech National Socialist Party, which had been founded in 1897 and which had been called the Czechoslovak Socialist Party from 1918 to 1926. The CSP draws its support from several strata of the population that formerly belonged to the urban middle and petite bourgeoisie, as well as from a small portion of the intelligentsia, workers, and peasants. The party is active in the Czech Socialist Republic (CSR).

The CSP is a member of the National Front of the Czech Socialist Republic, recognizes the leading role of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and supports the country’s program of socialist construction. It is represented in the Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the government of the Czech Socialist Republic, the Czech National Council, and the national committees (local governing bodies). The party’s highest organ is the national Conference, held once every five years. Between conferences, the party’s activities are directed by the Central Committee, elected by the Conference. The chairman of the CSP is B. Kučera. The party’s main press organ is the newspaper Slobodné slovo (Free Word).