Ruling parties, especially KDH, successful in regional elections

Ruling parties, especially KDH, successful in regional elections

SLOVAKIA'S second-ever regional elections over the past weekend drew a turnout of only 18 percent, and rewarded the right-wing parties of the ruling coalition, especially the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), with better election results than the parties of the political opposition.

Nitra region saw the highest voter turnout (27.67 percent), while the lowest was in the Trenčín region (12.3 percent).

In the November 26 elections, the ruling KDH, Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) and Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) took half of the total 412 regional parliament seats up for grabs nationwide, the SME daily wrote.

The ruling parties, competing in various coalition combinations, carried parliaments in six of Slovakia's eight regions, while the opposition parties won in Trenčín and Banská Bystrica regions.

The opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) was an election flop, losing even in Trenčín and Žilina, its traditional voter strongholds. The HZDS was arguably Slovakia's strongest party during the 1990s under three-time Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar.

The parties of the ruling coalition - the SDKÚ, KDH and SMK - won 206 of the total 412 regional parliament seats, with the KDH taking 87.

The opposition Smer, HZDS, and New Citizen's Alliance (ANO) gained 126 seats among them. The parliamentary opposition Slovak Communist Party (KSS) did not gain a single seat.

None of the candidates for the post of regional chairman managed to gain the required majority for election in the first round of voting. The two best candidates in each region will thus meet again in a runoff round to take place on December 10.

Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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