Election26: Bratislava Cuts Electoral Districts From 17 to 11 After Court Ruling

Bratislava, 7 July (TASR) - Bratislava will reduce the number of electoral districts for the next four-year municipal term from 17 to 11 by merging several city boroughs into single constituencies, with the decision approved by city councillors on Tuesday in response to a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court that found part of the legislation governing the capital unconstitutional. The number of city councillors will remain unchanged at 45. Bratislava Mayor Matus Vallo said the change has been forced on the city and was not something anyone had wanted. "This is something none of us wanted. I believe no one in this chamber has any problem with our smaller boroughs having their own representative on the city council. It was a system that worked well and without problems," said Vallo, adding that it was the second time the state has intervened in the functioning of local governance, following earlier proposals to extend the electoral term. Vallo described the identity of the city's smaller boroughs, many of which were once independent municipalities before joining the capital, as an important issue. He acknowledged their concerns about whether they will remain adequately represented on the city council after the changes. He said the city has reached a compromise and done everything possible to ensure that as many boroughs as possible retain their own councillors. He also pledged that smaller local authorities will continue to have a voice in the city council and that the city administration will remain accessible to them. "I am pleased that we have found the least painful solution," Vallo claimed. Under the new arrangement, Raca and Vajnory will form a single electoral district represented by three councillors. Devinska Nova Ves and Devin will also merge into one district with two councillors. Dubravka, Lamac and Zahorska Bystrica will create a joint district represented by five councillors, while Jarovce, Rusovce and Cunovo will form a southern district represented by one councillor. The remaining Bratislava boroughs will continue as separate electoral districts, although the number of councillors will change in two of them. Old Town will gain one additional councillor, increasing from four to five, while Ruzinov will increase from seven to eight. Representation will remain unchanged in Petrzalka (10 councillors), Nove Mesto (four), Karlova Ves (three), and Podunajske Biskupice and Vrakuna (two each). The city council had already considered the issue of electoral districts and council seats on 18 June, when it approved retaining the current system of 45 councillors elected from 17 districts for the next electoral term. Less than a week later, however, the Constitutional Court ruled that part of the legislation was unconstitutional, upholding a complaint filed at the end of January by Public Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky. The ombudsman challenged the legal provision stating that the city council determines the number of councillors elected in each borough according to its share of the capital's population, while guaranteeing every borough at least one councillor. He argued that the arrangement breached the principle of equal voting rights, pointing to the unequal weight of votes across electoral districts of widely differing sizes and the resulting advantage enjoyed by voters and candidates in the capital's smaller constituencies. mf