Government and politics in Žilinský kraj (Stredné Slovensko, Slovakia): official figures
Voters in the Žilina Region elect a regional council (zastupiteľstvo) of 56 members, the 3rd largest of the eight self-governing regions, chosen in 11 multi-member constituencies.
Who governs Žilina Region?
The Žilina Self-Governing Region is led by a chairman (predseda, often called the župan) elected directly by voters across the whole region as a single constituency; the council members are elected at the same time.
Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR) · saved copyWhen are the next regional elections in Žilina Region?
The Žilina Self-Governing Region's next elections were called for 24 October 2026: the Speaker of the National Council announced them by decision No. 145/2026 of 23 June 2026, and they are held together with the municipal elections.
Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR) · saved copyMore figures
- For the 2026 regional elections the Žilina Region is divided into 728 polling districts covering 315 municipalities and city districts. Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR) · saved copy
- 53 political parties were registered by the Statistical Office for the 2026 regional elections nationwide, and independent candidates can stand for both the Žilina Self-Governing Region council and its chairmanship. Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR) · saved copy
- The Žilina Self-Governing Region carried €77.1 million of debt into the 2026 election year, and its debt service took 4.60% of own current revenue in 2025. Source: Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (Ministerstvo financií SR) · saved copy
How Žilinský kraj compares with other regions in Slovakia
Seats in the regional council (zastupiteľstvo) elected in 2026 (2026)
Žilinský kraj ranks 4 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Seats in the regional council (zastupiteľstvo) elected in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prešovský kraj | 67 |
| 2 | Košický kraj | 59 |
| 3 | Bratislavský kraj | 56 |
| 4 | Žilinský kraj | 56 |
| 5 | Nitriansky kraj | 54 |
| 6 | Banskobystrický kraj | 49 |
| 7 | Trenčiansky kraj | 44 |
Polling districts for the 2026 regional elections (2026)
Žilinský kraj ranks 5 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Polling districts for the 2026 regional elections |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Banskobystrický kraj | 902 |
| 3 | Košický kraj | 860 |
| 4 | Nitriansky kraj | 745 |
| 5 | Žilinský kraj | 728 |
| 6 | Trenčiansky kraj | 654 |
| 7 | Bratislavský kraj | 586 |
| 8 | Trnavský kraj | 537 |
More on Žilinský kraj: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Stredné Slovensko · Slovakia
Sources
- Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR): Elections to the organs of the self-governing regions 2026: parties, constituencies, seats and municipalities (XLSX files), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c1a04338cf78…)
- Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad SR): Elections to the organs of the self-governing regions 2026: announcement of the elections, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 596364dc5da6…)
- Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (Ministerstvo financií SR): Debt and debt service of the self-governing regions (VÚC) and their budgetary organisations at 31 December 2025 (Dlh a dlhová služba VÚC 2025), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3ae40f900a44…)
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