2006 Slovak parliamentary election
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All 150 seats to the Národná rada 76 seats were needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 coalition.[2]
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
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direction – Social Democracy | 671,185 | 29.1 | 50 | +25 |
| Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party | 422,815 | 18.4 | 31 | +3 |
| Slovak National Party | 270,230 | 11.7 | 20 | +20 |
| Party of the Hungarian Coalition | 269,111 | 11.7 | 20 | 0 |
| People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia | 202,540 | 8.8 | 15 | –21 |
| Christian Democratic Movement | 191,443 | 8.3 | 14 | –1 |
| Communist Party of Slovakia | 89,418 | 3.9 | 0 | –11 |
| Free Forum | 79,963 | 3.5 | 0 | New |
| Alliance of the New Citizen | 32,775 | 1.4 | 0 | –15 |
| Social Democratic Alternative | 14,728 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Hope | 14,595 | 0.6 | 0 | New |
| Left Bloc | 9,174 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Union of the Workers of Slovakia | 6,864 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Civic Conservative Party | 6,262 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Slovak National Coalition–Slovak Reciprocity | 4,016 | 0.2 | 0 | New |
| Slovak People's Party | 3,815 | 0.2 | 0 | New |
| Agrarian and Countryside Party | 3,160 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Prosperity of Slovakia | 3,118 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Party of the Democratic Left | 2,906 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Mission 21–New Christian Democracy | 2,523 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Party of Civic Solidarity | 2,498 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | 32,778 | – | – | – |
| Total | 2,335,917 | 100 | 150 | 0 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,272,517 | 54.7 | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver, European Elections Database | ||||
Aftermath
On 28 June Fico announced that the government coalition would consist of his Direction - Social Democracy party, together with the Slovak National Party and People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia. The Party of European Socialists criticized this decision because of nationalist statements of the leader of the Slovak National Party and subsequently suspended Direction's membership.
