[16] In 1998, SDK was created as coalition of five small centre-right and centre-left parties intending to contest the Slovak parliamentary elections that year.

This initial agreement was not successful, and Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda (KDH) announced formation of new party - Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ).

On 18 November Constitution congress elected Mikuláš Dzurinda as chairman, vice chairmen being Edvard Kukan, Zuzana Martináková, Milan Kňažko and Ľubomír Harach.

[17][18] Iveta Radičová become the first female prime minister in history of Slovakia, by forming a new centre-right coalition government consisted of SDKÚ-DS, SaS, MOST-HÍD and KDH.

Radičová subsequently decided not take candidacy in next elections and served as prime minister until a social democratic government took office on 4 April 2012.

Dzurinda chose to resign from his position as the chairman of SDKÚ, and a party congress was held on 19 May 2012 so that a new leader could be chosen.

However, during the previous term SDKÚ-DS practically fell apart from inside, when its own members of parliament chose to leave the party.

As a result, Frešo has a tough position and even if his campaign was led along with Slovak right-wing consensus against the SMER-SD party, it failed.

While gaining only 0,27% of votes and losing 95% of its previous voters in the election of 5.3.2016, the party has received its worst result in history.

[22] Frešo has commented that SDKÚ-DS as the only party has defended openly pro-European ideas, opposing the building of fences against the immigrants in European migrant crisis.

Leader of the Party Milan Roman at the time ran for the position of Mayor in Skalice as an independent candidate.