Rasi: Czech Republic Could Serve as Inspiration for Election System Changes

Prague/Bratislava, May 7 (TASR) - The Czech Republic could serve as inspiration for Slovakia in changing its election system, as Slovakia currently has a single electoral district, while the Czechs have 14 constituencies, House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated after a meeting with his Czech counterpart Marketa Pekarova Adamova on Wednesday. "The inspiration lies in the fact that in the Czech Republic, they have 14 regions, and people actually elect representatives from those regions. Voters don’t necessarily choose someone based on political preference, but rather someone they trust on a personal level," said Rasi. The House chair pointed out that changing the election system in Slovakia is one of the priorities for the Voice-SD party. One option under consideration is that of the 150 candidates running for Parliament, half would be elected by using the classic party slate system, while the other half would be elected in a way that would ensure that each district would have its own representative in Parliament. "We are convinced that in order for the entire country — including its most remote parts — to develop properly, every region should have someone elected specifically to represent it, someone who will remain in Parliament as long as they fight for and support that region," said Rasi. Rasi reiterated that one-third of current MPs hail from Bratislava region. mf/df