Christian Union (Slovakia)

The Christian Union (Slovak: Kresťanská únia, KÚ), previously Independent Forum (Slovak: Nezávislé fórum) from 1998 to 2019, is a Slovak right-wing conservative political party.^[2][3] The chairwoman of the party since 2019 was Anna Záborská. At present, it has five deputies of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, elected on the candidate of the party OĽANO-NOVA-KÚ-ZZ.^[4]

Christian Union Kresťanská únia
Abbreviation	KÚ
Leader	Milan Krajniak
Founder	Tomáš Černý
Founded	8 February 2019; 6 years ago (2019-02-08) (Christian Union)
Registered	27 August 1998; 27 years ago (1998-08-27) (Independent Forum)
Split from	Christian Democratic Movement
Headquarters	Sládkovičova 11, Bratislava-Staré Mesto
Membership (2023)	65 [1]
Ideology	Christian right National conservatism Social conservatism
Political position	Right-wing
European affiliation	European Christian Political Party
Colours	Blue
National Council	2 / 150
European Parliament	0 / 15
Website
krestanskaunia.sk
Politics of Slovakia Political parties Elections

Foundation and history

Christian Union

Transformation of NF to KÚ, elections to EP 2019 and NR SR 2020

On 8 February 2019, the party was renamed (registered on 27 August 1998), when on 7 January 2019, the statute and seat of this party changed and on February 8, 2019, it was renamed to the current name Christian Union. This transformation of this entity de facto created a new party, but de jure not^[5] This step, as the fragmentation of Christian forces and the promotion of Záborská's personal ambitions, was criticized by the chairman of KDH, Alojz Hlina.^[6] The founders did so so that they could avoid collecting 10,000 signatures to form a new political party.

In the 2019 European Parliament election, the party won 3.85% of the vote and did not win any seats.

After the elections, the need to unite Christian political forces with KDH or KDŽP was discussed. In the end, the merger did not take place in the autumn of 2019, as President Alojz Hlina offered the Christian Union only 2 seats as a KDH candidate.^[7] On the contrary, the KU came closer to the OĽANO movement, on whose candidate list OĽaNO in the parliamentary elections 19 candidates for the KÚ ran, while its chairwoman Anna Záborská ran from 4th place.^[8] NOVA and Zmena Zdola did the same with OĽaNO in order to avoid an increased clause for electoral coalitions.^[9]

OĽaNO, together with the KÚ, also offered the pre-election procedure to the KDH, to which it offered half the seats on the candidate and, after the elections, its own parliamentary club. KDH rejected this offer.^[10]

Election period 2020–2024

In the parliamentary elections in February 2020, OĽANO-NOVA-KÚ-ZZ party became the winner of the parliamentary elections, which so far only the Smer-SD and HZDS parties have succeeded in Slovakia.^{[11][circular reference]} Five members of the Christian Union were elected as deputies.^[12]

KÚ Politicians

Party leadership

• Milan Krajniak – Chairman

Other KÚ politicians

• Anna Záborská
• Richard Vašečka^[5]
• Branislav Škripek
• Ján Szőllős^[13]
• Katarína Hatráková^[14]
• Radovan Marcinčin^[15]

Election results

National Council

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Rank	Seats	+/–	Status
2020	Igor Matovič[a]	721,166	25.03	1st	5 / 150		OĽaNO–SR–SaS–ZĽ (2020–2022)
							OĽaNO–SR–ZĽ (2022–2023)
	As a part of the OĽaNO–KÚ–NOVA–ZZ list, which won 53 seats in total.
2023	Igor Matovič	264,137	8.9	4th	2 / 150	3	Opposition
	Running in coalition with the OĽaNO and For the People, which won 16 seats in total.

1. Igor Matovič of OĽaNO served as OĽaNO–KÚ–NOVA–ZZ electoral leader while Anna Záborská served as chairwoman of Christian Union.

European Parliament

Election	List leader	Votes	%	Rank	Seats	+/–	EP Group
2019	Unclear	37,974	3.85	9th	0 / 14	New	–
2024	Milan Krajniak	9,313	0.63	12th	0 / 15	0