(VOVWORLD) - About 4.3 million eligible voters cast their ballots to elect 150 members of parliament from the candidates of 25 political parties and coalitions. A public poll shows that 9 political parties may win enough votes to have representatives in the new parliament.
 Slovaks begin voting in a parliamentary election (Photo: Reuters) |
According to Slovakia’s law, to win a seat in the parliament, a party needs at least 5% of the vote, while the minimum threshold for a coalition of 2 to 3 parties is 7%, and 10% for a coalition of 4 parties.
In the latest polls, the support rate for the Smer Social Democratic Party (Smer-SD) of former Prime Minister Robert Fico was over 20%, while the support rate for the Slovak Progressive Movement (PS) of Vice President of the European Parliament Michal Simecka ranged from 15 to18%.
Slovak’s Ministry of Home Affairs said a record number of 59,000 voters cast their ballots by mail from abroad. Polling stations in Slovakia closed at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday (local time) and preliminary results will be announced later.