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]
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All 150 seats in the National Council 76 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 2,335,917 (54.67%)![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Results of the election, showing vote strength by district. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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]
Results
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Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | +/– | |
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Direction – Social Democracy | 671,185 | 29.14 | +15.68 | 50 | +25 | |
Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party | 422,815 | 18.36 | 3.26 | 31 | +3 | |
Slovak National Party | 270,230 | 11.73 | +8.41 | 20 | +20 | |
Party of the Hungarian Coalition | 269,111 | 11.68 | +0.52 | 20 | 0 | |
People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia | 202,540 | 8.79 | –10.71 | 15 | –21 | |
Christian Democratic Movement | 191,443 | 8.31 | +0.06 | 14 | –1 | |
Communist Party of Slovakia | 89,418 | 3.88 | –2.44 | 0 | –11 | |
Free Forum | 79,963 | 3.47 | New | 0 | New | |
Alliance of the New Citizen | 32,775 | 1.42 | –6.59 | 0 | –15 | |
Social Democratic Alternative | 14,728 | 0.64 | –1.16 | 0 | 0 | |
Hope | 14,595 | 0.63 | New | 0 | New | |
Left Bloc | 9,174 | 0.40 | +0.17 | 0 | 0 | |
Union of the Workers of Slovakia | 6,864 | 0.30 | –0.25 | 0 | 0 | |
Civic Conservative Party | 6,262 | 0.27 | –0.06 | 0 | 0 | |
Slovak National Coalition–Slovak Reciprocity | 4,016 | 0.17 | New | 0 | New | |
Slovak People's Party | 3,815 | 0.17 | New | 0 | New | |
Agrarian and Countryside Party | 3,160 | 0.14 | New | 0 | New | |
Prosperity of Slovakia | 3,118 | 0.14 | New | 0 | New | |
Party of the Democratic Left | 2,906 | 0.13 | New | 0 | New | |
Mission 21–New Christian Democracy | 2,523 | 0.11 | New | 0 | New | |
Party of Civic Solidarity | 2,498 | 0.11 | New | 0 | New | |
Invalid/blank votes | 32,778 | – | – | – | – | |
Total | 2,335,917 | 100 | 0 | 150 | 0 | |
Registered voters/turnout | 4,272,517 | 54.67 | –15.40 | – | – | |
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, European Elections Database |
Aftermath
On 28 June Fico announced that the government coalition would consist of his Smer-SD party, together with the Slovak National Party and People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia. The Party of European Socialists (PES) criticized this decision because of nationalist statements of the leader of the Slovak National Party and subsequently suspended Smer-SD's membership.
References
- Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1747 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
- Nohlen & Stöver, p1757
- Nohlen & Stöver, pp1753-1754