2006 Slovak parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Slovakia on 17 June 2006.[1] Direction – Social Democracy emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 50 of the 150 seats. Its leader Robert Fico was appointed Prime Minister on 4 July 2006, leading a three-party centre-left populist coalition.[2]

2006 Slovak parliamentary election
17 June 2006
All 150 seats in the National Council
76 seats needed for a majority
Turnout54.67% (Decrease 15.40 pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Robert Fico Mikuláš Dzurinda Ján Slota
Party SMER–SD SDKÚ-DS SNS
Last election 25 seats, 13.5% 28 seats, 15.1% 0 seats, 3.3%
Seats won 50 31 20
Seat change Increase 25 Increase 3 Increase 20
Popular vote 671,185 422,815 270,230
Percentage 29.1% 18.4% 11.7%
Swing Increase 15.7 pp Increase 3.3 pp Increase 8.4 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Béla Bugár Vladimír Mečiar Pavol Hrušovský
Party SMK ĽS–HZDS KDH
Last election 20 seats, 11.2% 36 seats, 19.5% 15 seats, 8.3%
Seats won 20 15 14
Seat change Steady 0 Decrease 21 Decrease 1
Popular vote 269,111 202,540 191,443
Percentage 11.7% 8.8% 8.3%
Swing Increase 0.5 pp Decrease 10.7 pp Increase0.1%
Results of the election, showing vote strength by district.
Prime Minister before election

Mikuláš Dzurinda
SDKÚ-DS

 Elected Prime Minister

Robert Fico
Smer–SD

Background

Originally the election was planned for 16 September 2006. However, on 8 February the government proposed calling an early election after the Christian Democratic Movement left the coalition government. This proposal was passed by the Parliament on 9 February and signed by the President on 13 February. For the first time Slovak citizens living abroad could vote, using absentee ballots. A total of 21 parties contested the elections.[3]

Participating parties
Party Ideology Political position Leader
Direction – Social Democracy (Smer–SD) Social democracy
Left-wing populism		 Centre-left Robert Fico
Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party (SDKÚ–DS) Liberal conservatism
Christian democracy		 Centre-right Mikuláš Dzurinda
Slovak National Party (SNS) Ultranationalism
Right-wing populism		 Far-right Ján Slota
Party of the Hungarian Coalition (MKP/SMK) Hungarian minority interests
Christian democracy		 Centre-right Béla Bugár
People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (ĽS–HZDS) Slovak nationalism
Populism		 Syncretic Vladimír Mečiar
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Christian democracy
Economic liberalism		 Centre-right Pavol Hrušovský

Results
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Direction – Social Democracy671,18529.14+15.6850+25
Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party422,81518.36+3.2631+3
Slovak National Party270,23011.73+8.4120+20
Party of the Hungarian Coalition269,11111.68+0.52200
People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia202,5408.79–10.7115–21
Christian Democratic Movement191,4438.31+0.0614–1
Communist Party of Slovakia89,4183.88–2.440–11
Free Forum79,9633.47New0New
Alliance of the New Citizen32,7751.42–6.590–15
Movement for Democracy14,7280.64–2.6400
Hope14,5950.63New0New
Left Bloc9,1740.40+0.1700
Union of the Workers of Slovakia6,8640.30–0.2500
Civic Conservative Party6,2620.27–0.0600
Slovak National Coalition–Slovak Reciprocity4,0160.17New0New
Slovak People's Party3,8150.17New0New
Agrarian and Countryside Party3,1600.14New0New
Prosperity of Slovakia3,1180.14New0New
Party of the Democratic Left2,9060.13New0New
Mission 21–New Christian Democracy2,5230.11New0New
Party of Civic Solidarity2,4980.11New0New
Total2,303,139100.00–1500
Valid votes2,303,13998.60
Invalid/blank votes32,7781.40
Total votes2,335,917100.00
Registered voters/turnout4,272,51754.67
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, European Elections Database

Results by region
Region Smer-SD SDKÚ-DS SNS SMK/MKP ĽS-HZDS KDH KSS SF ÁNO Other parties
Bratislava Region 21.42 36.05 8.80 6.12 6.75 7.87 2.96 5.77 1.38 2.94
Trnava Region 23.26 15.93 7.83 29.00 7.46 7.39 3.03 2.58 0.98 2.60
Trenčín Region 33.98 15.03 15.90 0.34 14.29 7.93 4.74 3.34 1.20 3.23
Nitra Region 24.82 12.30 9.32 31.67 7.98 5.41 2.90 2.19 1.07 2.31
Žilina Region 33.01 14.78 18.83 0.27 10.80 10.91 4.01 3.37 1.37 2.65
Banská Bystrica Region 31.08 15.74 13.37 12.49 8.05 5.07 5.12 3.31 1.62 4.17
Prešov Region 35.44 17.93 10.73 0.34 8.40 13.97 4.26 3.27 1.59 4.21
Košice Region 29.48 19.20 8.63 14.27 6.70 7.73 4.00 3.87 2.07 3.99
Total in Slovakia 29.14 18.36 11.73 11.68 8.79 8.31 3.88 3.47 1.42 3.62
Cities 28.81 24.13 11.09 7.92 7.56 7.53 3.83 4.49 1.64 2.96
Villages 29.54 11.22 12.51 16.32 10.31 9.26 3.94 2.20 1.15 3.49

Aftermath

On 28 June Fico announced that the government coalition would consist of his Smer-SD, together with the SNS and ĽS-HZDS. The Party of European Socialists (PES) criticized this decision because of nationalist statements of the leader of the SNS and subsequently suspended Smer-SD's membership.

References
  1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1747 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p1757
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, pp1753-1754
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