How to elect your mayor

When you live in a small village, you don't care about Bratislava. At home, everything is at stake.

A couple wearing traditional Slovak clothes enter a town hall in Martovce, Nitra Region, to cast their ballot in the 2018 municipal election.A couple wearing traditional Slovak clothes enter a town hall in Martovce, Nitra Region, to cast their ballot in the 2018 municipal election. (Source: TASR)

Municipal elections. The eyes of journalists and political parties are on Bratislava and regional capitals where, so they say, much is at stake.

But who in this country, Bratislavans and journalists excluded, really cares about who becomes the mayor of the capital? When you live in a village of seven hundred souls you know that Bratislava matters not. At home, everything is at stake.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

I have gained my share of knowledge about the elections and municipal politics. In the household where I grew up we have survived four municipal campaigns first-hand.

SkryťTurn off ads

Call your girlfriends

A municipal campaign is based on premeditated tactics, whether you are attempting to persuade tens of thousands or just dozens of voters.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

The New Stations of the Cross combine old and new.

New Stations of the Cross to combine surviving remains and contemporary architecture.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad