| Country: | Slovakia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 2004 Slovak presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 2004 |
| Next Election: | 2014 Slovak presidential election |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
| Election Date: | 21 March 2009 (first round) 4 April 2009 (second round) |
| Turnout: | 43.62% (first round) 4.32pp 51.65% (second round) 8.15pp |
| Image1: | Ivan Gašparovič (cropped) Election infobox.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Ivan Gašparovič |
| Party1: | Independent |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,234,787 |
| Percentage1: | 55.53% |
| Colour1: | d82222 |
| Nominee2: | Iveta Radičová |
| Party2: | Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party |
| Popular Vote2: | 988,808 |
| Percentage2: | 44.47% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Ivan Gašparovič |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| After Election: | Ivan Gašparovič |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
Presidential elections were held in Slovakia in March and April 2009, the country's third direct presidential elections. After no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round on 21 March, the second round on 4 April saw Ivan Gašparovič become the first Slovak president to be re-elected, defeating opposition candidate Iveta Radičová by 56% to 44%.[1]
There were seven candidates for the first round, which was held on 21 March:[2]
incumbent president, supported by governing parties Direction – Social Democracy and Slovak National Party, and extra-parliamentary Movement for Democracy
candidate of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party, supported by the Party of the Hungarian Coalition, Christian Democratic Movement and Civic Conservative Party
candidate of the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia
candidate of the Free Forum
independent candidate supported by the governing People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
independent candidate supported by the Communist Party of Slovakia
independent candidate, former member of the Communist Party of Slovakia
Gašparovič and Radičová advanced to the second round, winning 46.7% and 38.1% of the first round votes, respectively.[3] Slovak women tended to be more supportive of Radičová.[3]
In the second round of elections, held on 4 April, Gašparovič received 1,234,787 votes (55.5%), winning election.[4] Radičová received 44.5% of the vote. After the election, Gašparovič said, "I am glad I can be standing here today with the prime minister and the speaker of the parliament ... The [election] is the most direct evidence that people trust us."[4]
Voter turnout was 44% in the first round and 52% in the second round.[5] Voter turnout among women slightly increased in both the first and second rounds of the election, which was attributed to Radičová's candidacy.[3]
| Region | Gašparovič | Radičová | Mikloško | Martináková | Melník | Bollová | Sidor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bratislava Region | 33.21 | 52.60 | 6.75 | 4.74 | 1.62 | 0.84 | 0.56 | ||
| Trnava Region | 37.80 | 49.90 | 4.73 | 4.08 | 1.64 | 1.28 | 0.57 | ||
| Trenčín Region | 57.23 | 26.17 | 4.59 | 5.98 | 3.38 | 1.44 | 1.21 | ||
| Nitra Region | 43.29 | 45.24 | 3.70 | 4.23 | 1.92 | 0.91 | 0.72 | ||
| Žilina Region | 56.22 | 26.10 | 6.75 | 5.53 | 3.15 | 1.23 | 1.02 | ||
| Banská Bystrica Region | 51.09 | 35.80 | 3.18 | 5.22 | 2.23 | 1.23 | 1.23 | ||
| Prešov Region | 52.52 | 27.15 | 8.55 | 5.75 | 2.75 | 1.20 | 2.09 | ||
| Košice Region | 42.26 | 41.97 | 5.00 | 5.37 | 2.92 | 1.06 | 1.43 | ||
| Total in Slovakia | 46.71 | 38.05 | 5.41 | 5.12 | 2.45 | 1.13 | 1.11 | ||
| Cities | 42.20 | 42.54 | 5.61 | 5.35 | 2.11 | 1.09 | 1.06 | ||
| Villages | 52.28 | 32.49 | 5.16 | 4.82 | 2.86 | 1.19 | 1.16 | ||
| Region | Ivan Gašparovič | Iveta Radičová | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bratislava Region | 38.80 | 61.20 | |||||||
| Trnava Region | 42.17 | 57.89 | |||||||
| Trenčín Region | 70.76 | 29.24 | |||||||
| Nitra Region | 46.07 | 53.93 | |||||||
| Žilina Region | 70.52 | 29.48 | |||||||
| Banská Bystrica Region | 59.32 | 40.68 | |||||||
| Prešov Region | 66.54 | 33.46 | |||||||
| Košice Region | 50.69 | 49.31 | |||||||
| Total in Slovakia | 55.53 | 44.47 | |||||||
| Cities | 50.73 | 49.27 | |||||||
| Villages | 61.29 | 38.71 | |||||||