Chamber:
	Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	30 September 1994 1 October 1994
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament for the first time since dissolution of the Czechoslovak Federation and the consequent coming into being of the sovereign Slovak Republic on 1 January 1993. General elections for the former Slovak regional legislature had previously taken place on 5 and 6 June 1992. This body, known as the Slovak National Council, was retained after the break-up of Czechoslovakia.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the dissolution of the Czechoslovak Federation and the creation of the independent Slovak Republic (1 January 1993), the first parliamentary elections took place in Slovakia in September/October 1994. General elections for the Slovak legislature had previously been held in June 1992. This body – the Slovak National Council – was renamed the National Council of the Slovak Republic after the declaration of independence and adoption of the new Constitution. The date of early elections was agreed in a wide consensus of the political parties in March 1994 when the Government of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar (Movement for a Democratic Slovakia – HZDS) stepped down after it lost its parliamentary majority. This margin disappeared when one-fifth of the Deputies split off from the ruling movement and subsequently formed a new party: the Democratic Union of Slovakia (DU). The leader of the splinter group, Mr. Jozef Moravick, was entrusted by President of the Republic Michal Kovác with forming a coalition Cabinet into which entered four other parties. During a short but intensive election campaign whose dominant themes centred around the forms and methods of economic reform (mainly privatisation), pensions, social benefits and unemployment, as well as the demands of the Hungarian national minority, virtually all the leading parties expressed their support for the process of transformation and for the orientation of Slovakia to the European political, economic and security structures. The dominant position on the Slovak political scene was reaffirmed by Mr. Meciar’s HZDS which, together with the Farmers’ Party of Slovakia (RSS), obtained almost 35% of the votes – much more than the polls predicted – and 40% of the parliamentary seats. An unexpected setback was recorded by the left-oriented Common Choice coalition (whose core was formed by the Party of the Democratic Left (SDT – the reformed Communist Party)), which obtained only 10.41% of the vote. The third strongest group to emerge was the Hungarian Coalition (10.18%) which, compared with the 1990 elections, lost votes but gained three more seats. The elections also brought a certain gain for the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which polled 10.08% of the votes, even though it obtained one seat less than in the previous elections. The radically-oriented Association of Workers of Slovakia (ZRS) polled 7.34% of the votes and, in spite of unfavourable poll predictions, the nationally oriented Slovak National Party (SNS) obtained parliamentary seats with 5.40% of the votes. The DU recorded a success with 8.37% of the votes and in spite of its short existence entered Parliament with 15 seats. Following the elections, President Kovac entrusted Mr. Meciar, as chairman of the strongest parliamentary group, with undertaking negotiations with a view to forming the new government. As a result of these talks, the HZDS joined forces with the ZRS and the SNS and formed a three-member coalition which held a total of 83 seats. This Government’s ambitious programme pledged to boost GDP significantly, reduce inflation and unemployment, implement a brad reform programme in the social sphere, and rapidly integrate Slovakia into the European economic and security structures. Mr. Meciar carried on as Prime Minister as head of a coalition Cabinet sworn in on 13 December.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (30 September and 1 October 1994): Elections results
Number of registered electors	3,876,555
Voters	2,923,265 (75.4%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	47,805
Valid votes	2,875,460

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)	196	1,005,488	34.96
Common Choice coalition	174	299,496	10.41
Hungarian Parties coalition	171	292,936	10.18
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)	183	289,987	10.08
Democratic Union (DU)	162	246,444	8.57
Association of Workers of Slovakia (ZRS)	94	211,321	7.34
Slovak National Party (SNS)	172	155,359	5.40

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)	61
Common Choice coalition	18
Hungarian Parties coalition	17
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)	17
Democratic Union (DU)	15
Association of Workers of Slovakia (ZRS)	13
Slovak National Party (SNS)	9

Comments:
	The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) is allied with the Farmers’ Party of Slovakia. The Common Choice coalition comprises the Social Democratic Party of Slovakia, the Green Party and the Farmers’ Movement The Hungarian Parties coalition comprises Co-existence, the Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement and the Hungarian Civic Party.

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	128
Women:	22