Residents of Prague 1 have approved a local referendum addressing urban quality of life, alongside the parliamentary elections.

The vote, which saw over 45% participation, covered seven questions ranging from e-scooters to accessible toilets, with the majority supporting each measure. The results are now legally binding for the district.

A striking 80% of participants backed a ban on the operation and parking of electric scooters within Prague 1, while over 82% want the district to actively enforce restrictions on e-scooters in public spaces.

The referendum also tackled noise and short-term accommodation. More than 72% of voters called for regulations to mitigate the impact of short-term rentals on permanent residents. Similarly, 72% supported legislative measures to penalize sources of public noise, including human voices or modified car engines, aiming to reduce disturbances from so-called “alcohol tourism.”

On the issue of alcohol, over 60% of local residents favored banning alcohol sales after 10 p.m. in convenience stores to limit nighttime drinking in public areas. Noise from outdoor music venues and other amplified productions, such as rooftop bars, restaurant gardens, boats on the Vltava River, or concerts, was highlighted by more than 70% of voters as needing stricter regulation.

Accessibility was also a key concern. Over 82% of respondents supported the installation of 24-hour, barrier-free public toilets at two locations along the Vltava River—on both the left and right banks.

Prague 1 Councilor for Transport Vojtěch Ryvola (GEN) expressed skepticism about the referendum’s impact, telling iDNES.cz, “The referendum left me with an awkward impression. Only the municipality can deal with most of these issues, so in the end, we conquered an empty castle. The questions had obvious answers in advance and often concern areas beyond the city district’s competence. Such referendums confuse the public rather than provide real solutions.”

He added, “Municipal elections are approaching, and there are no visible successes, so at least this gives us a mandate to prepare public toilets.”

The referendum was initiated by a coalition of ODS, TOP 09, ANO, and Rezidentů 1, focusing on controlling shared electric scooters, which have been a source of tension in Prague’s city center.

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