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