Party of Civic Understanding
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Party of Civic Understanding
Strana občianskeho porozumenia |
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|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| Dissolved | 1 March 2003 |
| Ideology | Social liberalism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
The Party of Civic Understanding (Slovak: Strana občianskeho porozumenia, SOP) was a centre-left political party in Slovakia between 1998 and 2003. Between 1998 and 2002 the party was part of the coalition government led by Mikuláš Dzurinda, with the founder of the party, Rudolf Schuster, being elected President of Slovakia in 1999.
In government the party lost support and after the 2002 election had no seats in parliament. The party dissolved on the 1 March 2003 and recommended its members join Direction – Social Democracy (SMER).
The Party of Civic Understanding was founded in April 1998 by the Mayor of Košice, Rudolf Schuster. Members of the new party included the former Foreign Minister Pavol Hamžík, among other prominent Slovak figures. The new party was aided by favourable publicity from the Markíza television station.
The Party of Civic Understanding aimed for left leaning voters from eastern Slovakia and disillusioned supporters of the governing People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS). The party called for pensioners and students to get a better standard of living, but did not call for privatisations to be re-done without conditions, thereby getting some support from businessmen. It was also a strong supporter of membership of the European Union and NATO.
The party's aim initially was to reduce the polarisation of Slovak politics, by promoting reconciliation between the government of Vladimír Mečiar and the opposition. However as the European Union was completely opposed to the HZDS of Vladimír Mečiar, the Party of Civic Understanding refused to consider co-operating with the HZDS in government. Instead the Party of Civic Understanding joined with the other opposition parties in discussion of the upcoming election campaign and a possible coalition after the election.
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