Michelko: SNS Plans to Contest Local Elections in Coalitions with Smer and Voice

Bratislava, 7 January (TASR) - The junior governing Slovak National Party (SNS) plan to take part in this year's local and regional elections in coalitions with the Voice-SD and Smer-SD parties, SNS caucus head Roman Michelko has said in an interview with TASR, not ruling out coalitions with opposition parties in some justified cases, either. Michelko stressed that the regional level is different, which also applies to elections. He explained that slates for elections in villages, towns and regions will be drafted based on local specifics. "Nevertheless, we'll form pre-election coalitions primarily with the coalition parties," he said. Where local circumstances warrant it, SNS may also enter into coalitions with opposition parties, but this must be properly justified. "We'll have to be part of some kind of bloc to succeed, or there will have be very distinctive figures who don't need party membership," said Michelko. Slovaks will elect their representatives in towns, villages and self-governing regions in 2026. The local and regional elections will again be combined, meaning that they'll be held on the same day. The date isn't yet known, but they will be held in the autumn, as the last such elections took place on 29 October 2022. Mayors of towns and villages, regional governors and councillors are elected for four-year terms. ko/df