Christian Democratic Movement
Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie
AbbreviationKDH
LeaderMilan Majerský
Deputy Leaders
  • Marián Čaučík
  • Igor Janckulík
  • Tomáš Merašický
General SecretaryMarek Michalčík
Parliamentary caucus leaderMartina Holečková
FounderJán Čarnogurský
Founded17 February 1990 (1990-02-17)
HeadquartersŠafárikovo námestie 77/4, 81102 Bratislava
Youth wingChristian Democratic Youth of Slovakia
Membership (2022)Decrease 6,110[1]
Ideology
Political positionCentre-right[6][7]
European affiliationEuropean People's Party
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International (observer)
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
Colours
  •   Blue
  •   Red
  •   Light yellow[a]
Slogan"Better" (2023)[9]
Anthem
"Slovensko moje, otčina moja"[10]
"My Slovakia, My Fatherland"
National Council
12 / 150
European Parliament
2 / 14
Regional governors[11]
1 / 8
Regional deputies[b][11]
62 / 419
Mayors[b][11]
244 / 2,904
Local councillors[b][11]
2,497 / 20,462
Website
kdh.sk

The Christian Democratic Movement (Slovak: Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie, KDH) is a Christian-democratic[3] political party in Slovakia that is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and an observer of the Centrist Democrat International.

History

This section needs expansion with: three other major splits: #SIET, Zivot and KU. You can help by adding to it. (December 2022)

The party was established in 1990. In the 1990s it was led by Ján Čarnogurský and then since 2000 by Pavol Hrušovský. Before the 2016 elections, it was led by Ján Figeľ. Following the defeat in the elections, Figeľ stepped down from the position and Pavol Zajac became temporary leader until the decisive party meeting on 19 March 2016. Figeľ endorsed Milan Majerský, mayor of Levoča, for the position.

The KDH was a member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the Conscientious objection on religious grounds.

In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006, the party won 8.3% of the popular vote and 14 out of 150 seats.

Four prominent parliamentary members (František Mikloško, Vladimír Palko, Rudolf Bauer and Pavol Minárik) left the party on 21 February 2008 due to their dissatisfaction with the party, its leadership and its policies, and founded the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia in July.

In the 2012 parliamentary election, KDH received 8.82% of the vote, placing it the second-largest party in the National Council with 16 deputies, leaving it the largest opposition party to the ruling Direction – Social Democracy.

In the 2014 European elections, KDH came second place nationally, receiving 13.21% of the vote and electing 2 MEPs.[12]

In the 2016 parliamentary election, the party only won 4.94% of the vote, losing all of its seats. This was the first time since its inception that the party did not reach the parliament. Following the electoral defeat, KDH elected Alojz Hlina its new leader.[13]

Party leaders

Leader Year
1 Ján Čarnogurský 1990–2000
2 Pavol Hrušovský 2000–2009
3 Ján Figeľ 2009–2016
4 Alojz Hlina 2016–2020
5 Milan Majerský 2020–present

Election results

National Council

Election Leader Votes % Rank Seats +/– Status
1990 Ján Čarnogurský 648,782
19.2%
 2nd
31 / 150
 VPN–KDH–DS
1992 273,945
8.9%
 3rd
18 / 150
 Decrease 13 Opposition
(1992–1994)
SDĽ–KDH–DEÚS–NDS
(1994)
1994 289,987
10.1%
 4th
17 / 150
 Decrease 1 Opposition
1998 Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK)
15 / 150
 Decrease 2 SDK–SDĽ–SMK–SOP
2002 Pavol Hrušovský 237,202
8.3%
 5th
15 / 150
 Steady 0 SDKÚ–SMK–KDH–ANO
(2002–2006)
Opposition
(2006)
2006 191,443
8.3%
 6th
14 / 150
 Decrease 1 Opposition
2010 Ján Figeľ 215,755
8.5%
 4th
15 / 150
 Increase 1 SDKÚ–SaS–KDH–Bridge
2012 225,361
8.8%
 2nd
16 / 150
 Increase 1 Opposition
2016 128,908
4.9%
 9th
0 / 150
 Decrease 16 Extra-parliamentary
2020 Alojz Hlina 134,099
4.7%
 8th
0 / 150
 Steady 0 Extra-parliamentary
2023 Milan Majerský 202,515
6.8%
 5th
12 / 150
 Increase 12 Opposition

European Parliament

Election Leader Votes % Rank Seats +/– Group
2004 Anna Záborská 113,655
16.2%
 4th
3 / 14
 EPP
2009 Martin Fronc 89,905
10.9%
 4th
2 / 13
 Decrease 1
2014 Anna Záborská 74,108
13.2%
 2nd
2 / 13
 Steady 0
2019 Ivan Štefanec 95,588
9.7%
 4th
2 / 14
 Steady 0
2024 Miriam Lexmann TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

President

Election Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Rank Votes % Rank
1999 Endorsed
Rudolf Schuster 		1,396,950
47.4%
 1st 1,727,48
57.2%
 1st
2004 František Mikloško 129,414
6.5%
 5th
2009 Endorsed
Iveta Radičová 		713,735
38.1%
 2nd 988,808
44.5%
 2nd
2014 Pavol Hrušovský 63,298
3.3%
 6th
2019 Endorsed
František Mikloško 		122,916
5.7%
 5th
2024 Endorsed
Ivan Korčok 		958,393
42.5%
 1st TBD TBD TBD

See also

Notes

  1. ^ historical[8]
  2. ^ a b c Also with coalitions.

References

  1. ^ "Výročná správa politickej strany: KDH" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior (Slovakia) (in Slovak). 2022. p. 52.
  2. ^ Bakke, Elisabeth (2010), "Central and East European party systems since 1989", Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989, Cambridge University Press, p. 80, ISBN 9781139487504
  3. ^ a b José Magone (2010). Contemporary European Politics: A Comparative Introduction. Routledge. p. 456. ISBN 978-0-203-84639-1.
  4. ^ Bodnárova, Bernardína (2006), "Social Policy", Slovakia 2005: A Global Report on the State of Society, Institute for Public Affairs, p. 307
  5. ^ Lansford, Tom (2012). Thomas Muller; Judith Isacoff; Tom Lansford (eds.). Political Handbook of the World 2012. Los Angeles, California: CQ Press. p. 1284. ISBN 978-1-60871-995-2.
  6. ^ Henderson, Karen (1999), "Minorities and Politics in the Slovak Republic", Minorities in Europe: Croatia, Estonia and Slovakia, Cambridge University Press, p. 150, ISBN 9789067041171
  7. ^ Bunce, Valerie; Wolchik, Sharon L. (2011), Defeating Authoritarian Leaders in Postcommunist Countries, Cambridge University Press, p. 64, ISBN 9781107006850
  8. ^ "Website" (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 21 July 2004.
  9. ^ "Strany hľadajú slogan, ktorým trafia náladu voličov. Po "konci chaosu" od Smeru to PS skúša s "normálnosťou"". 20 March 2023.
  10. ^ "História KDH" (in Slovak).
  11. ^ a b c d "Súhrnné výsledky hlasovania - Voľby do orgánov samosprávy obcí 2022". www.volbysr.sk. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Elections to the European Parliament 2014". 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Novým predsedom KDH sa stal suverénne Alojz Hlina". TA3.com. Retrieved 14 June 2016.

External links


Christian Democratic Movement
Political parties in Slovakia
European People's Party
Authority control databases
Categories