Direction – Social Democracy

Direction–Social Democracy
Smer–sociálna demokracia
Abbreviation Smer-SD
Leader Robert Fico
Founded 8 November 1999
Split from Party of the Democratic Left
Headquarters Bratislava
Newspaper SMER Newspapers
Youth wing Young Social Democrats
Membership (2015) 16,167[1]
Ideology Social democracy[2][3]
Left-wing nationalism[4][5]
Pro-Europeanism[6]
Political position Centre-left[7]
European affiliation Party of European Socialists
International affiliation Socialist International
European Parliament group Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Colours Red
National Council
49 / 150
European Parliament
4 / 13
Self-governing regions
6 / 8
Regional parliaments
161 / 408
Website
www.strana-smer.sk

Direction – Social Democracy (Slovak: Smer–sociálna demokracia, Smer-SD) is a social-democratic[8] political party in Slovakia. It is led by Robert Fico, the current Prime Minister of Slovakia. Smer-SD is the largest party in the National Council, with a plurality of 49 seats (out of 150) following the Parliamentary Election held on 5 March 2016.

History

Originally named Direction, the party emerged as a breakaway from the Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) on 8 November 1999. Under Fico, at the time one of the most popular politicians in the country, it quickly surpassed the SDĽ. In 2003 it changed its formal name to Direction (Third Way) (Slovak: Smer (tretia cesta)).[9] In 2005, it absorbed SDĽ and several other centre-left parties and adopted its current name. Following the party's victory in 2006, Smer entered into a coalition with the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS). For this, it was suspended from membership of the Party of European Socialists (PES). The PES Chairman, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, explained in The Slovak Spectator that "Most of our members stood solidly behind our values, according to which forming a coalition with the extreme right is unacceptable."[10] Smer was readmitted into the PES in 2008. It later formed another coalition with the SNS in 2016.

Foundation

The party arose as a breakaway from the Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) in 1999 (Robert Fico being the most popular SDĽ member at that time) and quickly became one of the most popular parties in Slovakia, while the SDĽ, which was the successor of the original Communist Party of Slovakia and was the governing party from 1998 to 2002, was steadily decreasing in popularity.

As of 2004, it was the third largest party in the National Council of the Slovak Republic, with 25 out of 150 seats. As of early 2005, it was in the first place among all Slovak political parties in opinion polls with 30% support.

As from 1 January 2005, Smer merged with the smaller social-democratic parties:

The resulting entity was named Direction – Social Democracy (Smer – Sociálna demokracia).

Government

In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006, the party won 29.1% of the popular vote and 50 out of 150 seats. Following that election, Smer-SD formed a coalition government with the People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) and Slovak National Party (SNS),[11][12][13] a nationalist party.[11][12][14] Smer was then temporarily suspended from membership in the Party of European Socialists (PES) on 12 October 2006.[15] The resolution to suspend Smer referred specifically to the PES Declaration “For a modern, pluralist and tolerant Europe”, adopted by the PES Congress in 2001 in Berlin which states: “all PES parties adhere to the following principles… to refrain from any form of political alliance or co-operation at all levels with any political party which incites or attempts to stir up racial or ethnic prejudices and racial hatred.” Smer was readmitted on 14 February 2008 after Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico and SNS leader Jan Slota pledged in a letter to respect European values, human rights and all ethnic minorities.[16]

Although the party won the most votes in the 2010 parliamentary election, with a lead of 20% over second-placed SDKÚ,[17] they had not been able to form a government because of losses sustained by their coalition partners. Their result, 34.8%, won 62 seats in the National Council for them, but the HZDS failed to cross the 5% threshold, losing all their seats, and the Slovak National Party was reduced to nine seats. As a result, the four opposition centre-right parties – the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party (SDKÚ), Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and Most–Híd – were able to form a new government.[18]

With the Parliamentary election held on 10 March 2012, Smer-SD won 44.4% of the votes and became the largest party in the National Council, with an absolute majority of 83 seats (out of 150).[19] The Smer-SD formed the first single-party government in Slovakia since 1993.

In the 2014 European elections, Smer-SD came in first place nationally, receiving 24.09% of the vote and electing 4 MEPs.[20]

Election results

National Council

Year Leader Vote Vote % Seats Place Government
2002 Robert Fico 387,100 13.46
25 / 150
 3rd No
2006 Robert Fico 671,185Increase 29.14 Increase
50 / 150
 1stIncrease Yes
2010 Robert Fico 880,111 Increase 34.79 Increase
62 / 150
 1st No
2012 Robert Fico 1,134,180 Increase 44.41 Increase
83 / 150
 1st Yes
2016 Robert Fico 737,481 Decrease 28.28Decrease
49 / 150
 1st Yes

Presidential

Election Candidate First round result Second round result
Votes %Votes Result Votes %Votes Result
2004 Ivan Gašparovič 442,564 22.28 Runner-up 1,079,592 59.91 Won
2009 Ivan Gašparovič 876,061 46.71 Runner-up 1,234,787 55.53 Won
2014 Robert Fico 531,919 28.00 Runner-up 893,841 40.61 Lost

European Parliament

Year Vote Vote % Seats Place
2004 118,535 16.89
3 / 14
 3rd
2009 264,722 Increase 32.01 Increase
5 / 13
 1st Increase
2014 135,189 Decrease 24.09 Decrease
4 / 13
 1st

Current representatives

Smer-SD provided the following members of the government (2012–2016):

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Najbohatšiu členskú základňu si držia Smer-SD, KDH a SMK". Hlavné Správy. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Wolfram Nordsieck. "Parties and Elections in Europe". Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Direction – Social Democracy". Trade Bridge Consultants. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  4. ↑ http://www.ceeidentity.eu/sites/default/files/downloads/zelinsky_final.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.demsoc.org/2014/05/19/direction-social-democracy-smer-sd/
  6. ↑ http://visegradplus.org/party/848/
  7. ↑ Simon Bulmer; Christian Lequesne (2013). The Member States of the European Union. OUP Oxford. p. 327. ISBN 978-0-19-954483-7.
  8. ↑ Alfio Cerami (2006). Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Emergence of a New European Welfare Regime. LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 23–. ISBN 978-3-8258-9699-7. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Register of Political Parties and Political Movements". Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  10. ↑ Petit Press a.s. "Euro-socialists suspend Fico's Smer party". spectator.sme.sk. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  11. 1 2 Cas Mudde (2005). Racist Extremism In Central & Eastern Europe. Routledge. pp. xvi, 314. ISBN 0-415-35593-1. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  12. 1 2 Zoltan D. Barany (2002). The East European gypsies: regime change, marginality, and ethnopolitics. Cambridge University Press. pp. 313, 408. ISBN 0-521-00910-3. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  13. ↑ Juliana Sokolova (2–04–2009). "Slovakia: in search of normal". openDemocracy.net. Retrieved 22 May 2009. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ↑ "The Study of Contemporary Racism and Antisemitism", The Steven Roth Institute, Tel Aviv University. Tau.ac.il. Archived 31 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 15 October 2011.
  15. ↑ SMER suspended from PES political family, Party of European Socialists, 12 October 2006
  16. ↑ "Slovak PM's party rejoins European socialists". Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  17. ↑ Voľby do Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky. Volbysr.sk. Retrieved on 15 October 2011.
  18. ↑ Fico vyhral a predsa končí | Voľby 2010. volby.sme.sk. Retrieved on 15 October 2011.
  19. ↑ "Election 2012: UVK officially confirms Smer's landslide victory in general election" - The Slovak Spectator, TASR (11 Mar 2012)
  20. ↑ http://ep2014.statistics.sk/EP-dv/Tabulka3_en.html
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