People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
{{Distinguish|People's Party Our Slovakia}}
{{Infobox political party
| native_name = Ľudová strana – Hnutie za demokratické Slovensko
| logo = HZDS Logo.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| colorcode = {{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia}}
| leader = Vladimír Mečiar (1991–2013)
| foundation = 27 April 1991
| ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap
|Slovak nationalism{{Cite web | url=https://www.teraz.sk/magazin/pred-30-rokmi-sa-zacala-stiepit-vpn/532575-clanok.html | title=Pred 30 rokmi sa začala štiepiť VPN, Mečiar zakladal vlastné hnutie | date=5 March 2021 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.e15.cz/zahranicni/byl-jsem-pro-nej-selsky-nacionalista-vzpomina-meciar-na-havla-942669|title = Byl jsem pro něj selský nacionalista, vzpomíná Mečiar na Havla| date=28 December 2012 }}
|Euroscepticism{{cite web|url=https://is.muni.cz/th/k7mtb/Eva_Hancova.pdf|title=Komparácia slovenských parlamentných volieb v rokoch 2012 a 2016 so zameraním na stranícky euroskepticizmus|date=2018|last=Hancová|first=Eva|language=Czech}}{{Cite web | url=https://slovensko.hnonline.sk/262032-meciar-hzds-do-europy-nedostane | title=HNonline.sk - hnonline.sk - Mečiar HZDS do Európy nedostane | date=8 June 2008 }}
}}
| headquarters = Tomášikova 32/A, Bratislava
| international = Alliance of Democrats
| website = {{URL|hzds.sk}}
| country = Slovakia
| founder = Vladimír Mečiar
| dissolution = 11 January 2014
| colours = {{Color box|{{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia}}|border=silver}} Blue
| split = Public Against Violence
| successor = Party of Democratic Slovakia
| youth_wing = Democratic Youth Forum
| membership = 4,175
| membership_year = 2012
| position = Syncretic{{cite book |last1=Trencsényi |first1=Balázs |last2=Kopeček |first2=Michal |last3=Gabrijelčič |first3=Luka Lisjak |last4=Falina |first4=Maria |last5=Baár |first5=Monika |last6=Janowski |first6=Maciej |title=A History of Modern Political Thought in East Central Europe. Volume 2 Part 2: Negotiating Modernity in the "Short Twentieth Century" and Beyond 1968–2018 / Balázs Trencsényi, Michal Kopeček, Luka Lisjak Gabrijelčič, Maria Falina, Mónika Baár, and Maciej Janowski |date=2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=9780198829607 |page=251 |edition=First}}
| european = European Democratic Party (2009–2014)
| europarl = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (2009–2014)
| anthem = "Vivat Slovakia"
}}
File:Bratislava HZDS Headquarters.jpg]]
The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia ({{langx|sk|Hnutie za demokratické Slovensko}}, HZDS), later known as the People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia ({{langx|sk|Ľudová strana – Hnutie za demokratické Slovensko}}, ĽS–HZDS), was a populist{{Cite book |last=Minkenberg |first=Michael |title=Transforming the Transformation?: The East European Radical Right in the Political Process |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |isbn=9781317549390 |pages=242}}{{Cite book |last=Pytlas |first=Bartek |title=Radical Right Parties in Central and Eastern Europe: Mainstream Party Competition and Electoral Fortune |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |isbn=9781317495864 |pages=145}}{{Cite book |last=Auer |first=Stefan |title=Liberal Nationalism in Central Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2004 |isbn=9781134378609 |pages=133}}{{Cite book |title=Coalition governance in Central Eastern Europe |date=2019 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-884437-2 |editor-last=Bergman |editor-first=Torbjörn |edition=1 |series=Comparative Politics |location=Oxford |pages=440 |editor-last2=Ilonszki |editor-first2=Gabriella |editor-last3=Müller |editor-first3=Wolfgang C.}} political party in Slovakia. The party is commonly considered as having been authoritarian and illiberal.{{Cite web|url=https://hnonline.sk/slovensko/939111-divoke-90-roky-pozrite-si-zabudnute-fotografie-z-ery-meciarizmu-kedy-si-stat-robil|title=HNonline.sk - Divoké 90. roky. Pozrite si zabudnuté fotky z éry mečiarizmu, kedy si štát robil, čo chcel|date=April 4, 2017|website=hnonline.sk}}{{Cite news|url=https://olomoucky.denik.cz/nazory_region/slovensko-volby-matovic-zmena-20200301.html|title=Změna je na Slovensku třeba. Ale demokracie bývá pomalá|first=Luboš|last=Palata|newspaper=Olomoucký Deník |date=March 2, 2020|via=olomoucky.denik.cz}}{{Cite web| title=Nezávislosť médií a politický vplyv v transformujúcich sa mediálnych systémoch: prípad Slovenskej republiky počas vlády | language=sk | trans-title=Media independence and political influence in transforming media systems: the case of the Slovak Republic during the government | url=https://is.muni.cz/th/zdhj9/Diplomova_praca_Dominika_Brana.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128113322/https://is.muni.cz/th/zdhj9/Diplomova_praca_Dominika_Brana.pdf | archive-date=2021-11-28}}
During 1992–1998, HDZS was the leading party of the government, led by Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar. The party rule was characterized by a fundamental violation of civil liberties, rule of law and a halt to post-communist economic reforms, and European integration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/uplynulo-25-rokov-od-unosu-michala-kov/489968-clanok.html|title=Uplynulo 25 rokov od únosu Michala Kováča ml., syna prezidenta SR|date=August 31, 2020|website=TERAZ.sk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/556228/pribeh-meciara-autokrat-a-zakladatel-statu/|title=Príbeh Mečiara: Autokrat a zakladateľ štátu|date=January 21, 2018|website=Aktuality.sk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sme.sk/diskusie/1599905/mafia-na-slovensku-prilis-velke-susto.html|title=Mafia na Slovensku - Príliš veľké sústo - diskusia|first=Petit Press|last=a.s|website=www.sme.sk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.teraz.sk/magazin/exministerka-zahranicnych-veci-usa-ma/259621-clanok.html|title=Exministerka USA kedysi o SR povedala, že je to čierna diera Európy|date=May 15, 2017|website=TERAZ.sk}}
After the 1998 parliamentary election, the party remained in opposition for two terms still as the strongest party.{{Cite web|url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/660379/kompletne-vysledky-volieb-parlamentne-volby-1998.html|title=Kompletné výsledky volieb: Parlamentné voľby 1998|first=Petit Press|last=a.s|website=domov.sme.sk}}{{Cite web|url=https://volby.sme.sk/parlamentne-volby/2002/vysledky|title=Výsledky parlamentných volieb 2002 - Voľby SME|first=Petit Press|last=a.s|website=volby.sme.sk}} In opposition, HZDS moved its positions from Euroscepticism to pro-Europeanism and joined European Democratic Party, although it did not profess EDP's liberal ideology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.noviny.sk/slovensko/41518-ls-hzds-by-mali-prijat-do-europskej-demokratickej-strany|title=ĽS-HZDS by mali prijať do Európskej demokratickej strany|date=October 3, 2023|website=www.noviny.sk}} In the 2006 parliamentary election, the party dropped to 5th place and became a junior partner in the Fico's First Cabinet.{{Cite web|url=https://dennikn.sk/1747146/volby-2006-16-ako-fico-ziskal-najvacsiu-moc-a-co-tu-po-jeho-ere-zostalo/|title=Voľby 2006 – 2016: Ako Fico získal najväčšiu moc a dokázal vždy zlikvidovať partnerov|first=Tomáš|last=Gális|date=February 9, 2020|website=Denník N}}
In the 2010 parliamentary election the party did not exceed the electoral threshold narrowly for the first time, and this was repeated in 2012, when it won less than 1%.{{Ref|https://volby.sme.sk/parlamentne-volby/2010/vysledky}}{{Ref|https://volby.sme.sk/parlamentne-volby/2012/vysledky}} In 2014, HZDS officially dissolved and designated the Party of Democratic Slovakia as the successor.{{Ref|https://domov.sme.sk/c/7063643/strana-hzds-po-vyse-22-rokoch-zanikla.html}}
History
=Velvet Revolution=
The party was created as a Slovak nationalist faction of Public Against Violence (VPN), from which it seceded at an extraordinary VPN congress on 27 April 1991.Archleb Gály (2006), p. 534 Called 'Movement for a Democratic Slovakia' (HZDS), it was led by Vladimír Mečiar, who had been deposed as Slovak Prime Minister a month earlier, and composed mostly of the VPN's cabinet members. The HZDS claimed to represent Slovak national interest, and demanded a more decentralised Czechoslovak confederation. On 7 May 1992, the HZDS voted for a declaration of independence, but this was defeated 73-57.Bartl (2002), p. 171
At the first election in which it took part, on 5–6 June, the HZDS won an overwhelming victory, with 74 seats on the National Council: two short of an absolute majority. Mečiar was appointed prime minister on 24 June. Whereas the HZDS wanted a confederation, the Czech elections on the same day were won by Civic Democratic Party, which preferred a tighter federation. Recognising that these positions were irreconcilable, the National Council voted for Slovakia's Declaration of Independence by 113 votes to 24,Bartl (2002), p. 173 and Mečiar concluded formal negotiations over the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
=Dominant party=
The party adopted an economically populist position,{{cite journal |last1=Whitefield |first1=Stephen |last2=Evans |first2=Geoffrey |year=1999 |title=Political Culture Versus Rational Choice: Explaining Responses to Transition in the Czech Republic and Slovakia |journal=British Journal of Political Science |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=129–154 |doi=10.1017/S000712349900006X |s2cid=155059839 }} and sought to slow the post-Soviet privatisation and liberalisation.{{cite book |title=Institutional Design in Post-Communist Societies: Rebuilding the ship at sea |url=https://archive.org/details/institutionaldes0000elst |url-access=registration |last=Elster |first=Jon |author2=Offe, Claus |author3=Preuss, Ulrich Klaus |year=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-47931-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/institutionaldes0000elst/page/137 137] }}
In the first elections after independence, in late 1994, the HZDS retained its dominant position, winning 58 seats (the Peasant's Party of Slovakia won a further 3 on its list).{{cite journal |last1=Krause |first1=Kevin |year=1996 |title=Dimensions of Party Competition in Slovakia |journal=Sociológia - Slovak Sociological Review |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=169–86 }}
=Decline in opposition=
Originally designating itself as a centre-left party, the party moved towards the mainstream right and, in March 2000, renamed itself the 'People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia' (ĽS-HZDS) to try to achieve membership of the European People's Party (EPP).Szczerbiak et al (2008), p. 285 However, lingering memories of former anti-Europeanism, conflicting rhetoric, and the presence of three Slovak parties already in the EPP prevented this.Henderson (2009), p. 4 The ĽS-HZDS then looked to the Euro-integrationist European Democratic Party, which it joined in 2009.
The build-up to the 2002 election saw Mečiar exclude a number of prominent members from the party's list of candidates. Several of the excluded members, led by Ivan Gašparovič, split from the party and founded the similarly titled Movement for Democracy (HZD). The new party won 3.3% of the vote, eating significantly into the ĽS-HZDS's position, and contributing to it winning only 36 seats. By 2006, further divisions and splits had reduced it to only 21 MPs.
=Back in government=
In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006, the party won 8.8% of the popular vote and 15 out of 150 seats.
Two ĽS-HZDS ministers were sworn in with the Robert Fico government on July 4, 2006:
- Štefan Harabin (deputy prime minister; minister of justice);
- Miroslav Jureňa (minister of agriculture).
In the 2010 election the party lost all its seats, after its share of the vote halved to below the 5% threshold for entering parliament.
Election results
= National Council =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Election
! Leader ! Votes ! % !Rank ! Seats !+/– !Status |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |1992
| rowspan="9" |Vladimír Mečiar | rowspan="2" |1,148,625 | rowspan="2" |{{Percentage bar|37.3|hex=185CB4}} | rowspan="2" |1st | rowspan="2" |{{composition bar|74|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} | rowspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey"| |{{Yes2|HZDS–SNS |
| {{No2|Opposition {{small|(1994)}}}} |
| rowspan="2" |1994
|1,005,488 |{{Percentage bar|34.9|hex=185CB4}} |1st |{{composition bar|58|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Decrease}} 16 |
| colspan="6" align="left" |In coalition with the Peasants' Party of Slovakia, which won 61 seats in total. |
| 1998
|907,103 |{{Percentage bar|27.0|hex=185CB4}} |1st |{{composition bar|43|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Decrease}} 15 |{{No2|Opposition}} |
| 2002
|560,691 |{{Percentage bar|19.5|hex=185CB4}} |1st |{{composition bar|36|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Decrease}} 7 |{{No2|Opposition}} |
| 2006
|202,540 |{{Percentage bar|8.8|hex=185CB4}} |5th |{{composition bar|15|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Decrease}} 21 |
| 2010
|109,480 |{{Percentage bar|4.3|hex=185CB4}} |8th |{{composition bar|0|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Decrease}} 15 |{{No|Extra-parliamentary}} |
| 2012
|23,772 |{{Percentage bar|0.9|hex=185CB4}} |13th |{{composition bar|0|150|hex={{party color|People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia }}}} |{{Steady}} 0 |{{No|Extra-parliamentary}} |
= European Parliament =
= Presidential =
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Election year ! rowspan="2" |Candidate ! colspan="2" |1st round ! colspan="2" |2nd round |
| # of overall votes
! % of overall vote !# of overall votes ! % of overall vote |
|---|
| 1999
|1,097,956 |37.24% (#2) |1,293,642 |42.82% (#2) |
| 2004
|Vladimír Mečiar |650,242 |32.74% (#1) |722,368 |40.09% (#2) |
| 2009
|Milan Melník |45,985 |2.45% (#5) | colspan="2" | Supported Ivan Gašparovič |
See also
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia of Slovakia and the Slovaks: a concise encyclopaedia |last=Archleb Gály |first=Tamara |year=2006 |publisher=Encyclopaedic Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences |location=Bratislava |isbn=978-80-224-0925-4 }}
- {{cite book |title=Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon |last=Bartl |first=Július |year=2002 |publisher=Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers |location=Chicago |isbn= 978-0-86516-444-4 }}
- {{cite journal |last1=Henderson |first1=Karen |date=11 September 2009 |title=The European Parliament election in Slovakia, 6 June 2009 |journal=European Parties Elections and Referendums Network |url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sei/documents/no_44_epernep2009slovakia.pdf }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- {{cite book |title=Opposing Europe?: The Comparative Party Politics of Euroscepticism Volume 1: Case Studies and Country Surveys |last=Szczerbiak |first=Aleks |author2=Taggart, Paul A. |year=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-925830-7 |page=285 }}
External links
- [http://www.hzds.sk/ Official website]
{{Political parties in Slovakia}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia}}
Category:1991 establishments in Czechoslovakia
Category:2014 disestablishments in Slovakia
Category:Eurosceptic parties in Slovakia
Category:Nationalist parties in Slovakia
Category:Political parties disestablished in 2014