Petőcz Kálmán (szerk.): National Populism and Slovak - Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006-2009 (Somorja, 2009)
Kálmán Petőcz: National Populism and Electoral Behaviour
National Populism and Electoral Behaviour We based our research on the assumption that the key to solving Slovak-Hungarian relations was mutually advantageous and acceptable solution to the status of Slovak and ethnic Hungarian community in southern Slovakia. We were also aware that the camps of so-called nationalpopulist and leftist-populist parties’ supporters are dominated by voters with ambiguous, easy-to-influence or simply negative positions on the status and rights of members of the Hungarian minority. Therefore, it was important to establish whether these voters represent a majority of Slovak voters in southern Slovakia. We found out that in certain micro-regions, particularly those located along the ethnic border, in Slovak enclaves surrounded by territories dominated by Hungarian-speaking population and among Slovaks who settled in southern Slovakia as part of colonization programs after World War I or World War II, this type of voters prevails and constitutes a relatively stable and unchanging electorate. In larger towns, the overall share of these voters is also relatively high; however, it shows a tendency to decline in time. Our principal conclusion is that a detailed analysis of election results on ethnically mixed territories failed to corroborate the frequently presented view that coexistence of Slovaks and ethnic Hungarians in southern Slovakia is free of problems, in fact almost idyllic, and that the absence of accommodating attitudes with respect to demands or aspirations of ethnic Hungarians is typical rather for those Slovaks who live outside ethnically mixed territories. Political parties and the intellectual elite in general (i.e. pedagogues, journalists, artists, civic activists, etc.) are vital to overcoming this myth. It makes a world of difference whether they cultivate the views and positions of inhabitants of southern Slovakia in a positive way or, on the contrary, abuse existing stereotypes, prejudices and lack of objective information in order to increase distance and escalate tensions between members of the Slovak and ethnic Hungarian community. Whether and in what way is the country’s political elite prepared to shoulder its responsibility for this issue shall be the focus of other partial studies featured in the present publication. REfEREINCES: Bútorová, Zora - Gyárfášová, Oľga: Trendy vo verejnej mienke a volebnom správaní [Trends in Public Opinion and Electoral Behaviour], In Mesežnikov, Grigorij - Gyárfášová, Olga - Kollár, Miroslav (eds.): Slovenské voľby '06. Výsledky, príčiny, súvislosti [Slovakian Elections 06. Results, Reasons, Contexts]. Inštitút pre verejné otázky, Bratislava, 2006. 161
