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.
Official election results by regions:
Bratislava:
The SDKU-SMK-Democratic Party (DS)-ANO-Green Party (SZS) coalition got 27 out of 50 seats. The Smer-Free Forum (SF)-Movement for Democracy (HZD) took 11 seats, the KDH six, while the Civil Conservative Party (OKS) and the Independent Forum will have two councilors each, and two seats went to independent candidates.
Nitra:
The "grand Slovak coalition" of governing and opposition ethnic Slovak parties, which included the KDH, HZDS, SDKÚ, Smer and Slovak National Party (SNS) won the elections, taking 34 of 52 seats. The SMK won 17 seats and the ANO- HZD-SF coalition just one seat.
Trenčín:
The Smer-KDH-SNS-HZD-SF coalition won 21 seats out of 45, followed by the HZDS-ANO-Real Slovak National Party (PSNS)-United Slovak National Party (ZSNS) coalition with 20 seats. The SDKU-DS coalition got one seat, and independent candidates managed three seats.
Trnava:
Of the total 40 seats, the ruling SMK won 15, as did the KDH-SDKÚ-DS coalition. Five independent candidates were elected, and the HZDS-Left Bloc (ĽB)-ZSNS-PSNS coalition gained three seats. The Smer-HZD-SF-ANO coalition recorded two seats.
Žilina:
The KDH-SDKÚ-DS coalition won 31 seats out of 57. The Smer-SNS-ANO-HZD coalition scored 15 seats, and the HZDS-PSNS-ZSNS coalition five. Independent candidates got five seats and the OKS one.
Banská Bystrica:
The Smer-SNS-HZD coalition gained 18 out of the total 49 seats. The SDKÚ-DS-KDH and the KSS-HZDS-PSNS-ZSNS groupings took nine seats each. The SMK got eight seats and five seats went to independent candidates.
Košice:
The KDH-OKS coalition and the SMK party each grabbed 13 seats out of the total 57. The Smer-HZD coalition won 12 seats and independent candidates took seven. The SDKÚ-DS-SZS coalition will have six members of regional parliament (MRPs); the Party of Slovak Regions (SRS) and ANO will have two councilors each. HZDS and the Civic Solidarity Party (SOS) will each be represented by one councilor.
Prešov:
The KDH-SDKÚ-DS coalition got 40 out of 62 seats; 12 independent candidates were also elected, as were nine from the Smer-SNS-HZD coalition and one from ANO.
Regional chairman candidates moving on to the December 10 runoff round are as follows:
Bratislava:
Independent candidate Vladimír Bajan, supported by the KDH-SMER-SF-HZD coalition, gained 30,741 votes (41.29 percent), and will compete against the incumbent chairman, Ľubo Roman of the SDKÚ-ANO-SMK-DS-SZS coalition, who took 34,091 votes (31.29 percent).
Trnava:
Jozef Klokner from the KDH-SDKÚ-DS coalition and Tibor Mikuš from the HZDS-ZSNS-PSNS coalition advanced to the second round with 20,309 votes (33.1 percent) and 16,244 votes (26.47 percent) respectively.
Trenčín:
Miroslav Chovanec (Smer-KDH-SNS-HZD-SF) and Pavol Sedláček (HZDS-ANO-PSNS-ZSNS) made it through to the second round. Chovanec received 19,725 votes (35.41 percent), while Sedláček gained 15,873 (28.45 percent).
Nitra:
The incumbent chairman, Milan Belica (HZDS-ZSNS-Agrarian Party-KSS-ĽB-PSNS), received the most support in the first round with 64,765 votes (41.8 percent). The runner-up was László Szigeti (SMK) with 40,426 votes (26.09 percent).
Žilina:
Juraj Blanár (Smer-SNS-ANO-HZD) gained 24,309 votes (30.36 percent), followed by current chairman Jozef Tarčák (HZDS-PSNS-ZSNS) with 23,158 votes (28.93 percent).
Banská Bystrica:
Milan Murgaš (Smer-SNS-HZD-KDH-SZS) won the first round with 35,783 votes (38.82-percent support). In the second round his opponent will be Jozef Mikuš (SDKÚ-DS), who gained 19,074 votes (20.69 percent).
Prešov:
The current chairman, Peter Chudík (Smer-SNS-HZD), got 42,499 votes (39.89 percent), followed by Dušan Hruška (KDH-SDKÚ-DS) with 29,330 votes (27.53-percent).
Košice:
Zdenko Trebuľa (Smer-HZD) won the first round with 32,675 votes (30.25 percent), followed by the current chairman, Rudolf Bauer (KDH-OKS), who received 28,837 votes (26.7 percent).
