Petőcz Kálmán (szerk.): National Populism and Slovak - Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006-2009 (Somorja, 2009)

Kálmán Petőcz: National Populism and Electoral Behaviour

Kálmán Petőcz

Table 16

Parliamentary election results in the Sobrance region between 1998 and 2006 (%)

00

s

HZDS

SNS

ZRS+KSS

TOTAL

Sobrance district

39.7

8.0

6.0

53.7

Slovakia total

27.0

9.1

4.1

40.2

CN

ĽS-HZDS+HZD

SNS+PSNS

SMER+KSS

O

OSobrance district

30.6

8.3

27.1

66.0

Slovakia total

22.8

7.0

19.8

45.0

CD

11S-HZDS

SNS

SMER-SD

O

OSobrance district

12.3

16.1

42.1

70.5

Slovakia total

8.8

11.7

29.1

49.6

Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic; author's own calculations.

It is plain to see that the micro-region of the Sobrance district shows very similar voting patterns as the previously examined micro-region north of Nové Zámky. In both cases, the micro-region comprises approximately 30 villages located along the ethnic border that were annexed to Hungary between 1939 and 1945. Apparently, this fact continues to form an important part of local inhabitants’ collective memory. While it may not be the only factor determining their electoral behaviour, they obviously respond to national-populist impulses, be it from the Slovak or the Hungarian side. It is difficult to imagine any other relevant factor that would cause such strongly different voting patterns of the Sobrance district’s inhabitants, even compared to voters from other districts of the Košice region that generally suffers from the lack of development impulses and relatively unfavourable economic and social situation.

EIectoraI BeI-iavíour of Residents of Towns LocatecI on EtIhnícaIIy MíxecI Terrítory

So far, we examined electoral behaviour of Slovaks (i.e. non-Hungarians or non-SMK-MKP voters) in small villages. We have demonstrated that voting patterns of Slovak voters from these villages do not essentially differ from those of Slovak voters inhabiting rural areas anywhere else in Slovakia. In some micro-regions and Slovak enclaves in southern Slovakia, voter support for the national-socialist bloc of Slovak parties is even substantially stronger than the national average.

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