Slovak populists win, but coalition talks loom

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01st Oct, 2023. 10:26 pm
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Populist, pro-Moscow Smer-SSD party led by former PM Robert Fico wins Slovakia’s parliamentary elections with nearly 24% of the vote.

Smer-SSD pledges to cease military support for Ukraine.

Slovakia‘s recent parliamentary elections have resulted in a victory for a populist, pro-Moscow party led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico.

With nearly all votes counted, the Smer-SSD party secured a prominent position with nearly 24% of the vote, even though initial exit polls had predicted a win for a liberal centrist party.

Smer-SSD has promised to promptly cease military support for Ukraine. Robert Fico had resigned as Prime Minister in the aftermath of the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018.

Now, he is expected to engage in coalition talks to establish the next government.

Progressive Slovakia, the liberal party initially favored in exit polls, garnered approximately 17% of the vote. T

he pro-European Hlas party, which may play a crucial role in determining the composition of the next government, secured the third position with 15% of the vote.

Peter Pellegrini, the leftist leader of the Hlas party and a former colleague of Robert Fico, has left the door open for potential coalition partnerships in the future.

“The distribution of seats confirms Hlas as a party without which any normally functioning government coalition cannot be put together,” Mr Pellegrini said.

Mr. Fico is considering the possibility of collaborating with Hlas, a party that separated from Smer in 2020, as well as the nationalist Slovak National Party, which secured 5% of the vote.

The incoming parliament may consist of as many as 10 parties, ranging from libertarians to far-right groups, potentially leading to a protracted and intricate coalition formation process.

While Mr. Fico rejects being characterized as a “pro-Russian politician,” this election outcome is likely to be viewed favorably in Moscow.

“If Smer enters government, we will not send a single round of ammunition to Ukraine,” he recently told supporters.

The threat has led to concerns among European Union and Nato members while gaining support on social media among Slovaks who traditionally have warm sentiments towards Moscow.

Slovakia has been a loyal and steadfast ally to Kyiv, supplying surface-to-air missiles and helicopters – and even donating its entire fleet of retired MiG-29 fighter jets.

Mr Fico was congratulated by Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

“Guess who’s back!” he said, in a post in English, adding that it was “always good to work with a patriot”.

Like his Hungarian supporter, Mr Fico – who has said the Ukraine war was started “by Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” – insists the only way to stop it is through peace talks.

His victory gives the impression of a very obvious crack in NATO and EU unity over Ukraine forming along the River Danube.

Slovakia’s liberal President Zuzana Caputova has given a muted reaction to Mr. Fico’s victory.

Ms Caputova – who is taking legal action against Mr Fico after receiving death threats from his supporters – did not congratulate him or appear on camera.

Instead, she released a statement via her spokesman.

“The winner of the election bears the greatest responsibility for future developments because he or she has raised the greatest public expectations. It is now important that he fulfills them for the benefit of all of us, for the benefit of Slovakia,” the statement read.

Slovakia’s first female president has announced that she will not seek re-election when her current term concludes next year.

She cited the hostility and personal attacks directed at her and her family in recent months as the reason for her decision.

Ms. Caputova has placed blame on Mr. Fico and the Smer party for fueling this animosity by spreading baseless allegations that she is affiliated with Washington or the US financier and philanthropist George Soros, a common narrative of the far-right.

Mr. Fico and Smer have denied these allegations.

Progressive Slovakia has presented a vision of an “open, tolerant, cosmopolitan society” and has advocated for a liberal stance within the European Union, particularly concerning environmental policies and LGBTQ+ rights.

In contrast, Smer dismisses this vision as “liberal fascism” and has campaigned on the principles of stability, order, and social security. Mr. Fico has also expressed concerns about the increasing number of migrants traveling to Western Europe through Slovakia.

Slovak populists win, but coalition talks loom

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