The Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) party, long the leading party on the centre-right of Slovak politics, risks losing its representation in parliament, according to the results of a new opinion poll. The survey, conducted by the Polis agency for TV news channel TA3, found that the party of former prime minister Mikuláš Dzurinda attracted the support of only 5.1 percent of respondents. Only parties that win more than 5 percent of the vote in a general election qualify for seats in parliament.
The poll suggested that the opposition Smer party will emerge as the largest party in the general election due on March 10. It attracted 40.8-percent support, down from 41.5 percent in January, the SITA newswire reported. Despite its fall in support, Smer would win 81 seats in the 150-member parliament, and thus be able to form a government on its own.
The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) placed second in the poll, with 9.8 percent of the vote, equivalent to 19 seats. Most-Híd would garner 8.4 percent (17 seats), up from 7.7 percent in the previous survey. Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) would collect 6.6 percent (13 seats). A new party, Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO), would win 5.0 percent and, like the SDKÚ, receive 10 seats in parliament.
The Slovak National Party (SNS) polled 4.6 percent, the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) 3.9 percent, the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) 3.4 percent, and 99 Percent – Civic Voice 3.3 percent.
The survey was carried out by telephone on a sample of 2,058 respondents between February 9 and 13, and thus reflected voters' reactions to news of the withdrawal of several candidates from the OĽaNO slate early last week. The results are based on the answers of the 40 percent of respondents who said they would definitely cast a vote on March 10 and expressed a preference about who would receive it.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
