President of Slovakia
Encyclopedia
The President of Slovakia is the head of state
of Slovakia. The President is directly elected by the people for five years, and can be elected for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office
, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute discretion. The President's official residence is Grassalkovich Palace
in Bratislava
.
on 1 January 1993 when Slovakia permanently split from Czechoslovakia
and became independent. However, the office was vacant until 2nd of March 1993 when the first president Michal Kovac was elected by the National Council of Slovak Republic
. However, in 1998 due to then political situation the National Council was unable to elect new President for another term. The result was that for half a year the position became vacant. In order to come to a solution the constitution was changed in so that the President would be elected in national Presidential election. Presidential elections have been held in 1999, 2004 and 2009.
The current president is Ivan Gašparovič
, who took office on 15 June 2004.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Slovakia. The President is directly elected by the people for five years, and can be elected for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office
Figurehead
A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and 19th century.-History:Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and...
, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute discretion. The President's official residence is Grassalkovich Palace
Grassalkovich Palace
The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the residence of the president of Slovakia. It is situated on Hodžovo námestie, near the Summer Archbishop's Palace....
in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
.
History of the office
The office was established by the Constitution of SlovakiaConstitution of Slovakia
The Constitution of Slovakia, officially Constitution of the Slovak Republic is the current constitution of Slovakia. It was passed by the Slovak National Council on 1 September 1992 and signed on 3 September 1992 in the Knights Hall of the Bratislava Castle...
on 1 January 1993 when Slovakia permanently split from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and became independent. However, the office was vacant until 2nd of March 1993 when the first president Michal Kovac was elected by the National Council of Slovak Republic
National Council
-Conservation:* National Council for Science and the Environment, a US-based non-profit organization which has a mission to improve the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking...
. However, in 1998 due to then political situation the National Council was unable to elect new President for another term. The result was that for half a year the position became vacant. In order to come to a solution the constitution was changed in so that the President would be elected in national Presidential election. Presidential elections have been held in 1999, 2004 and 2009.
The current president is Ivan Gašparovič
Ivan Gašparovic
Ivan Gašparovič is a Slovak politician and law professor who has been the President of Slovakia since 15 June 2004. He is also the first Slovak president to be re-elected.-Biography:...
, who took office on 15 June 2004.
List of presidents of Slovakia
| President | Took office | Left office | Party | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - |  |
Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... (acting) |
1 January 1993 | 2 March 1993 | Movement for a Democratic Slovakia | Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... (1993) |
| 1 | Michal Kováč Michal Kovác Michal Kováč was a Slovak politician in the early 1990s and the first President of Slovakia after the creation of that state from 1993 to 1998.... |
2 March 1993 | 2 March 1998 | Movement for a Democratic Slovakia | Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... (1993-1994) Jozef Moravčík Jozef Moravcík Jozef Moravčík is a Slovak diplomat and political figure. He served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from 16 March 1994 to 13 December 1994, and later as the Mayor of Bratislava.- References :*... (1994-1994) Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... (1994-1998) |
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Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... and Ivan Gašparovič Ivan Gašparovic Ivan Gašparovič is a Slovak politician and law professor who has been the President of Slovakia since 15 June 2004. He is also the first Slovak president to be re-elected.-Biography:... (acting) |
2 March 1998 | 30 October 1998 | Movement for a Democratic Slovakia | Vladimír Mečiar Vladimír Meciar Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia... (1998) |
| - |  |
Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union... and Jozef Migaš Jozef Migaš Jozef Migaš is a Slovak politician who was Speaker of National Council of the Slovak Republic from 1998 to 2002, during the government of Mikuláš Dzurinda. He is now in political retirement.-References:... (acting) |
30 October 1998 | 15 June 1999 | Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (Dzurinda) Party of the Democratic Left Party of the Democratic Left (Slovakia) The Party of the Democratic Left was a social-democratic political party in Slovakia from 1990 to 2004.It was founded in 1990, out of the Communist Party of Slovakia.... (Migaš) |
Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union... (1998-1999) |
| 2 |  |
Rudolf Schuster Rudolf Schuster Rudolf Schuster was the second President of Slovakia . He was elected on 29 May 1999 and inaugurated on 15 June. Schuster was defeated in the presidential elections of April 2004, in which he ran as an independent... |
15 June 1999 | 15 June 2004 | Party of Civic Understanding | Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union... (1999-2004) |
| 3 | Ivan Gašparovič Ivan Gašparovic Ivan Gašparovič is a Slovak politician and law professor who has been the President of Slovakia since 15 June 2004. He is also the first Slovak president to be re-elected.-Biography:... |
15 June 2004 | Incumbent | Movement for Democracy Movement for Democracy (Slovakia) The Movement for Democracy is a political party in Slovakia split from the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia in 2002. The first leader of the party was Ivan Gašparovič, the current president of Slovakia... |
Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda Mikuláš Dzurinda is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union... (2004-2006) Robert Fico Robert Fico Robert Fico served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from July 4, 2006 to July 8, 2010.He is the leader of the left-wing party Direction – Social Democracy . The party won the parliamentary elections in 2006, receiving approximately 30 percent of the cast votes... (2006-2010) Iveta Radičová Iveta Radicová Iveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of... (2010-) |
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