Chamber:
	Narodna rada Slovenskej republiky
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	21 September 2002 22 September 2002
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	In the third parliamentary elections since the creation of the Slovak Republic in 1993, more than four million voters went to the polls on 21 September 2002 to elect the 150 members of Parliament for a four-year term. Twenty-nine political parties and movements ran in the elections. The electoral campaign, that started 30 days before the election day, focused on the country's accession to the European Union and NATO (Slovakia is one of the 10 European countries looking to join the EU in 2004). In 1999, when NATO expanded into Eastern Europe and took in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, Slovakia was left out. Diplomats from both the Eu and NATO had repeatedly warned Slovakia that any return to power of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) would put a damper on the country's chances of joining both the EU and NATO. Former Prime Minister, Vladimir Meciar, leader of the HZDS, was accused of violating democratic principles during his nationalist administration of 1994-1998. In the 1998 elections, he won the largest share of voter (27 per cent) but was unable to form a coalition and was overwhelmed in Parliament by current Prime Minister Mr Mikulas Dzurinda's alliance. For the last four years, Mr Dzurinda had led a pro-Western government which had implemented vital but unpopular reforms to meet the EU's conditions for accession. On 15 September 2002, Democratic Party Chairman Ludovit Kanik announced his party's withdrawal from the parliamentary race and called on supporters to vote for Mr Dzurinda's Slovak Democratic and Christian Union, as he felt that right-wing forces could unite to ensure the continuity of reforms. Although the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) had the most seats in the new Parliament (36), it was unable to form a governmental coalition. Outgoing Prime Minister Dzurinda's Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU) came in second, with 15.09 per cent of the votes and 28 seats. The leftist Direction party (SMER) took third place with 13.46 per cent of the vote and 25 seats. With 11.16 per cent of the vote, the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) obtained 20 seats in the new Parliament, while the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the Alliance for New Citizens (ANO) scored 8.25 and 8.01 per cent, respectively, and 15 seats each. For the first time in the country's post-Communist history, the unreformed Communist Party (KSS) will be represented in Parliament with 11 deputies. On 3 October 2002, four centre-right parties - the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union, the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the Alliance of New Citizens (ANO) - reached agreement on the next government programme. On 16 October 2002, President Rudolf Schuster named the new coalition cabinet of Mr Mikulas Dzurinda. The new Parliament was opened on 15 October 2002. Mr Pavol Hrusovsky (KDH) was elected as the Parliament's new Speaker.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (21 September 2002): Elections results
Number of registered electors	4 157 802
Voters	2 913 267 (70 %)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	38 186
Valid votes	2 875 081

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)	148	560 691	19.50
Slovak Democratic Coalition and Christian Union (SKDU)	141	433 953	15.09
SMER	149	387 100	13.46
Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK)	150	321 069	11.16
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)	149	237 202	8.25
Alliance for New Citizens (ANO)	148	230 309	8.01
Slovak Communist Party (KSS)	150	181 872	6.33

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)	36
Slovak Democratic Coalition and Christian Union (SKDU)	28
SMER	25
Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK)	20
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)	15
Alliance for New Citizens (ANO)	15
Slovak Communist Party (KSS)	11

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	121
Women:	29
Percent of women:	19.33

Distribution of seats according to age:
21 to 30 years	11
31 to 40 years	22
41 to 50 years	72
51 to 60 years	40
61 to 70 years	5
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Politicians	27
Business/Trade/Industry	24
Engineers	17
Civil servants (incl. former)	15
Legal professions	13
Teachers	13
Medical professions	10
Scientists	8
Private sector employees	7
Journalists/writers/publishers	4
Technicians	3
Bankers	2
Artists	1
Students	1
University Professors	1
Others	4