Abstract
The 2002 parliamentary election in Slovakia produced a surprisingly clear result, with a centre-right government, acceptable to both the EU and NATO, formed days after the polling-stations closed. An explanation for the election results is found by looking through the lens of party politics in Slovakia. Although the successes of the 1998–2002 coalition government in the foreign sphere helped to bolster support for Prime Minister Dzurinda's party (SDKÚ), two new parties (ANO and Smer) and the hardline Communist Party of Slovakia (KSS) were able to capitalize on disillusionment created by failures in domestic policy. A cocktail of personality feuds, ideological disagreements and poorly-run campaigns helped produce disappointing results for three established political parties in Slovakia: the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), the Slovak National Party (SNS) and the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL). The indications are that the polarization of Slovak politics, which dominated party politics for a decade, appears to be on the wane.
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More From: Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics
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