Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party is a liberal conservative
political party in Slovakia
.
, is talking with their centre right partners to form a new government. The party has been criticising the policies of Robert Fico
's government, calling it irresponsible, unsustainable and populist
. It is the second largest party in the National Council after its main rival, left wing Smer-SD. Their policy includes continuing in reforms that took place before 2006 – tax reform, welfare benefits cuts, pensions reform, healthcare reform etc. SDKÚ-DS is currently organised into four sections:
Main partners of SDKÚ-DS are politically similar parties: Christian Democratic Movement
, Freedom and Solidarity
, Most-Híd. These parties are currently in a coalition government
with SDKU-DS.
on 21 January 2006, it was called the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ). It used to provide Slovakia's head of government, Mikuláš Dzurinda
, and led a coalition government with the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
in the years 2002–2006 (the Alliance of the New Citizen
was a member of that coalition until September 2005 and the Christian Democratic Movement
until February 2006).
In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006
, the party won 18.4% of the popular vote and 31 out of 150 seats in the National Council.
The party's leader for the 2010 parliamentary election
was Iveta Radičová
. In this election, the party won 15.42% of popular vote corresponding to 28 seats in the National Council. It is most likely Iveta Radičová will become the first female prime minister in Slovakia, by forming a new centre-right government.
SDKÚ-DS is a member of the European People's Party
(EPP).
Liberal conservatism
Liberal conservatism also known as progressive conservatism is a variant of political conservatism which incorporates liberal elements. As "conservatism" and "liberalism" have had different meanings over time and across countries, the term "liberal conservatism" has been used in quite different...
political party in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
Ideology
SDKU-DS is a centre-right party, and recently, after the general electionsSlovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
, is talking with their centre right partners to form a new government. The party has been criticising the policies of Robert Fico
Robert Fico
Robert Fico served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from July 4, 2006 to July 8, 2010.He is the leader of the left-wing party Direction – Social Democracy . The party won the parliamentary elections in 2006, receiving approximately 30 percent of the cast votes...
's government, calling it irresponsible, unsustainable and populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
. It is the second largest party in the National Council after its main rival, left wing Smer-SD. Their policy includes continuing in reforms that took place before 2006 – tax reform, welfare benefits cuts, pensions reform, healthcare reform etc. SDKÚ-DS is currently organised into four sections:
- Team for recovery and modernisation, led by Ivan MiklošIvan MiklošIvan Mikloš is the incumbent Minister of Finance of Slovakia, appointed on July 9, 2010. He previously served as Slovakia's Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2006 and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy between 1998 and 2002....
, - Team for a dignified life, led by Iveta RadičováIveta RadicováIveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
, - Anti-crisis team, led by newcomer Eugen Jurzyca,
- Team for law and justice, led by Lucia ŽitňanskáLucia ŽitnanskáLucia Žitňanská is a Slovak politician and member of National Council of the Slovak Republic. In 2006 she served as deputy prime minister and Minister of Justice of Slovakia and since 2010 she again serves as Minister of Justice of Slovakia.She is married and has three children.- References :...
.
Main partners of SDKÚ-DS are politically similar parties: Christian Democratic Movement
Christian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
, Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity , abbreviated to SaS, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Slovakia. The party was established in 2009 and is led by its founder, the economist Richard Sulík, who designed Slovakia's flat tax system...
, Most-Híd. These parties are currently in a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with SDKU-DS.
History
Before its merger with the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (Slovakia)
The Democratic Party was a political party in Slovakia. When it was founded in late 1989 , it saw itself a continuation of the historical Democratic Party....
on 21 January 2006, it was called the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ). It used to provide Slovakia's head of government, Mikuláš Dzurinda
Mikuláš Dzurinda
Mikuláš Dzurinda is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union...
, and led a coalition government with the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
in the years 2002–2006 (the Alliance of the New Citizen
Alliance of the New Citizen
The Alliance of the New Citizen is a liberal party in Slovakia. The abbreviation ANO also means YES in Slovak. It was a member of the government coalition from October 2002 to September 2005. Its leader Pavol Rusko is the founder and former owner of Markíza and he was the Minister of Economics...
was a member of that coalition until September 2005 and the Christian Democratic Movement
Christian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
until February 2006).
In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006
Slovak parliamentary election, 2006
The 2006 parliamentary elections in Slovakia took place on Saturday June 17, 2006. The voters selected 150 representatives for the National Council of the Slovak Republic. The highest number of seats, 50, was won by left-wing party Direction - Social Democracy led by Robert Fico. In total, six...
, the party won 18.4% of the popular vote and 31 out of 150 seats in the National Council.
The party's leader for the 2010 parliamentary election
Slovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
was Iveta Radičová
Iveta Radicová
Iveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
. In this election, the party won 15.42% of popular vote corresponding to 28 seats in the National Council. It is most likely Iveta Radičová will become the first female prime minister in Slovakia, by forming a new centre-right government.
SDKÚ-DS is a member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP).