Parliamentary elections were held in Slovakia on 17 June 2006.^[1] Direction – Social Democracy emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 50 of the 150 seats. Its leader Robert Fico was appointed Prime Minister on 4 July 2006, leading a three-party centre-left populist coalition.^[2]

Quick Facts All 150 seats in the National Council 76 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...

2006 Slovak parliamentary election

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All 150 seats in the National Council 76 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	54.67% ( 15.40 pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Robert Fico Mikuláš Dzurinda Ján Slota Party SMER–SD SDKÚ-DS SNS Last election 25 seats, 13.5% 28 seats, 15.1% 0 seats, 3.3% Seats won 50 31 20 Seat change 25 3 20 Popular vote 671,185 422,815 270,230 Percentage 29.1% 18.4% 11.7% Swing 15.7 pp 3.3 pp 8.4 pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Béla Bugár Vladimír Mečiar Pavol Hrušovský Party SMK ĽS–HZDS KDH Last election 20 seats, 11.2% 36 seats, 19.5% 15 seats, 8.3% Seats won 20 15 14 Seat change 0 21 1 Popular vote 269,111 202,540 191,443 Percentage 11.7% 8.8% 8.3% Swing 0.5 pp 10.7 pp 0.1%
Results of the election, showing vote strength by district.
Prime Minister before election Mikuláš Dzurinda SDKÚ-DS Elected Prime Minister Robert Fico Smer–SD

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Originally the election was planned for 16 September 2006. However, on 8 February the government proposed calling an early election after the Christian Democratic Movement left the coalition government. This proposal was passed by the Parliament on 9 February and signed by the President on 13 February. For the first time Slovak citizens living abroad could vote, using absentee ballots. A total of 21 parties contested the elections.^[3]

On 28 June Fico announced that the government coalition would consist of his Smer-SD, together with the SNS and ĽS-HZDS. The Party of European Socialists (PES) criticized this decision because of nationalist statements of the leader of the SNS and subsequently suspended Smer-SD's membership.