RADICAL VOTERS IN RURAL AREAS OF SLOVAKIA AND THEIR ROLE IN THE RISE (AND FALL) OF THE ĽSNS PARTY
Michal Polák
Studia Politica Slovaca, 2026, vol. 19, no. 1, p. 78-107
Language: Slovak
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/SPS.2026-1.5
Abstract
This article critically examines the ongoing debate and motivations for electoral system reform in Slovakia, with a particular focus on the tension between regional representation and proportionality in parliamentary elections. It provides a detailed analysis of the weaknesses of the current single-district proportional system, highlighting issues such as limited representation for specific regions and weak personal links between voters and MPs. Drawing from comparative politics and social choice theory – including Arrow’s and Gibbard-Satterthwaite’s theorems – the author evaluates the impact of disproportionality using the Gallagher Index, showing that Slovakia’s system consistently produces above-average disproportionality despite constitutional commitments to proportionality. The paper argues that majority-based systems do not inherently guarantee meaningful regional representation and that Slovakia’s five-percent parliamentary threshold exacerbates the problem of wasted votes and strategic voting. The author proposes a reform model inspired by mixed-member proportional systems, combining regional districts with mechanisms that maintain proportionality and minimize wasted votes. The suggested solution outlines measurable targets for electoral disproportionality and discusses practical constraints on reform implementation, aiming to provide both an analytical framework for future debate and concrete criteria for evaluating proposals to the Slovak electoral system.
Keywords
elections, electoral system, electoral reform, Gallagher index, social choice theory, Mixed Member Proportional, Condorcet, Slovakia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License.