SLOVAKIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Národná rada Slovenskej republiky

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1998

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for SLOVAKIA <<<

Chamber:
  Národná rada Slovenskej republiky


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  25 September 1998
26 September 1998


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 1998 general elections, the ruling coalition led by the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) was challenged by four opposition parties spanning the political spectrum: the right-wing Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), the centre-left Party of Civic Understanding (SOP), the centrist Hungarian Coalition (SMK) and the reformed communist Party of the Democratic Left (SDL). Debate during the campaign which opened on 26 August focused primarily on economic issues and the country’s entry into the European Union and NATO.

Shortly before the elections, in May, the Electoral Law was amended in several ways, especially as regards electoral constituencies and the vote threshold needed to gain National Council representation. The polling days were monitored by some 200 observers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), who declared the voting free and fair. A high turnout gave a clear majority (93 of 150 seats) to the opposition forces although the HZDS of outgoing Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar edged the SDK, led by Mr. Mikulas Dzurinda, to maintain its leading parliamentary position. Since all opposition parties refused to form a new Government with HZDS, the Speaker of Parliament (in the absence of a President of the Republic, the post being vacant since March 1998) invited Mr. Dzurinda to form the new Government; he did so and, on 30 October, became Prime Minister at the head of a four-party (SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP) coalition Cabinet.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (25 September 1998): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 4,023,191
Voters 3,389,346 (84.24%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers 30,170
Valid votes 3,359,176

Round no 1: Distribution of votes  
Political Group Votes %
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) 907,103 27.00
Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) 884,497 26.33
Party of the Democratic Left (SDL) 492,507 14.66
Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) 306,623 9.12
Slovak National Party (SNS) 304,839 9.07
Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) 269,343 8.01
Association of Workers of Slovakia (ZRS) 43,809 1.30

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) 43
Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) 42
Party of the Democratic Left (SDL) 23
Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) 15
Slovak National Party (SNS) 14
Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) 13
Association of Workers of Slovakia (ZRS) 0

Distribution of seats according to sex:  
Men: 131
Women: 19


<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for SLOVAKIA <<<

Copyright © 1998 Inter-Parliamentary Union