In Slovakia, according to initial projections, the liberal and pro-European party Progresívne Slovensko – Progressive Slovakia (PS) won the parliamentary election. Shortly after the last polling station closed in Slovakia at 10:45 p.m., the first projection came. Accordingly, the Liberals come to 23.5 percent. Behind them was former Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer-SD party with 21.9 percent.
This means that the fears of our partners in the EU and NATO that a pro-Russian politician could win the election have probably not come true. In addition, according to the projection, a right-wing extremist party also missed out on entering parliament.
For Slovakia and also for partners in the EU and NATO, the early election on Saturday was a choice of direction. Robert Fico’s Smer SD party is pro-Russian and wants to end support for Ukraine. Fico said before the election that Ukraine would not receive “a single cartridge anymore” if his party came into government. In the last television debate before the election, Fico said: “I don’t want Slovakia to be ruled by NGOs and the American embassy.” He had repeatedly insulted President Zuzana Čaputová as a servant of the USA.
The Progresívne Slovensko party, which is only five years old, is not yet represented in the Slovakian Parliament – but has been in the European Parliament since 2019. Its 39-year-old leader Michal Šimečka is a deputy leader of the European Parliament. The party stands for support for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, wants to introduce registered partnerships for everyone in Catholic-dominated Slovakia, improve health care and get involved in climate protection and for minorities.
Fico has been Prime Minister of Slovakia three times. His opponents accuse him of turning the country into a corrupt mafia state. In the spring of 2022, Fico was briefly imprisoned and was investigated for forming a criminal organization. The new election became necessary after the previous government finally resigned following ongoing disputes and the departure of a coalition partner. Most recently, a government of experts appointed by President Čaputová ran the business without the trust of Parliament.