in 2001 the "party of the democratic left" ("sdl") more and more turned away from the dzurinda-government – the then finance minister brigita schmögnerová and other popular politicians from the social-liberal wing of the "sdl" (like peter weiss and milan ftáčnik) the "sdl" to found a ""modern, anti-nationalist and anti-populist"" party. at the last legislative elections, 20 and 21 september 2002, the party won 1.8% of the popular vote and no seats. it merged with the "smer" party as from january 2005.