A country that has really felt the consequences of the war in neighboring Ukraine goes to the polls on Saturday. In the last year, Slovakia has struggled with its grain exports, illegal migration and high electricity prices. Progressive and urban party Politics in the country is characterized by an urban-rural dynamic, where the two parties that are the best in the opinion polls target two very different social groups. The progressive, young and liberal party Progressive Slovakia (PS) appeals to the urban, educated and young in the country, and among other things wants to strengthen LGBTQ and women’s rights. The leader, Michal Simecka, is 39 years old, former journalist and vice-president of the EU Parliament. Michal Simecka is leader of Progressive Slovakia (PS) and vice-president of the European Parliament. Photo: Radovan Stoklasa / Reuters According to Eva Sarfi, Senior Lecturer in Eastern European Studies at UiO, the party has built itself up as a serious party in a very short time: – PS are liberal towards minorities and are Europe-oriented. There are young and urban people in the party, and the majority are women. The party has a clear position and a clear programme, says Sarfi. – They have built this up without playing on nationalism, she adds. On Saturday morning, polling stations in Slovakia open. The first results are expected to come on Saturday evening. Photo: Darko Bandic / AP Nationalism as a competitor The main competitor in the election is the populist party Smer, led by 59-year-old Robert Fico, who has been prime minister three times before. Smer is built on social democratic values, and combines socialism with nationalism. They advocate both welfare and a stricter migration policy: – We in Smer refuse to “get used to” illegal migration, price increases and a drop in the living standards of people in Slovakia, Fico said in a televised debate on Tuesday. Fico’s populism appeals particularly to conservatives, people who are hard hit by high costs, who are critical of war and who have been dissatisfied with the previous government. Robert Fico wants to become prime minister for the fourth time. Photo: RADOVAN STOKLASA / Reuters Putin-friendly? Recently, there have been reports in the western press that Fico can take Slovakia in a more Putin-friendly and Ukraine-hostile direction, due to statements like this: – If Smer becomes part of the government, we will not send neither arms nor ammunition to Ukraine again, Fico told AP journalists recently. And statements like this, to the news agency Reuters: – We reject statements and positions that state that the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is also our conflict. Matters dealing with the war and its consequences show a clear divide between PS and Smer. PS has taken a typical Western-oriented line, while Fico has made it clear that he will stop military support for Ukraine if he gets power. Slovakia has provided fighter jets, military helicopters, missiles, air defense and ammunition to Ukraine, according to Reuters. Robert Fico and Vladimir Putin had good contact during Fico’s prime ministership. The picture is from 2016. Now many fear that Fico will pursue a Putin-friendly policy if he gains power. Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool / Reuters Nationalist thinking Fico has criticized the sanctions against Russia, and refers to the consequences it has had for Slovakia, which has struggled with, among other things, high electricity prices, reports the Reuters news agency. Elisabeth Bakke is a researcher at UiO, and has done research on Slovakia. She believes that Fico’s Russia rhetoric is less about him wanting to pursue a Putin-friendly policy, but that Fico wants to prioritize his own population economically. Bakke clarifies that even if Fico wants to stop arms support to Ukraine, he will continue to provide humanitarian support. Photo: UiO The Joker is the breakaway party Hlas But neither Smer nor PS can govern alone. The third major party, Hlas, is a breakaway party from Smer. But it is uncertain who they will form a coalition government with, and exactly what political line they will take with Ukraine: – Hlas will probably be a “kingmaker”, says Bakke. – I don’t think it is possible to leave Hlas in government, either Smer or PS will be the largest. Neither Bakke nor Sarfi at UiO believe that the country will see a complete turnaround with a change of government. Because no party is big enough to govern alone, they have to compromise with other parties. JOKER: The Hlas party has had a diffuse policy, and it is uncertain who they will work with in government. Photo: RADOVAN STOKLASA / Reuters Had to resign due to journalist murder Fico has previously been prime minister, but had to resign after his government entered into a crisis of confidence. The crisis was triggered when a former Slovak soldier shot and killed the 27-year-old journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend in 2018. Kuciak was a well-known journalist in Slovakia, who worked to uncover a network that allegedly engaged in corruption and organized crime. The network included several people in the country’s political elite, in addition to well-known business people. The soldier who took the blame for the murder of the journalist said that the murder was ordered by a businessman, who claimed to be innocent. The killing led to demonstrations all over Slovakia, and Fico had to resign as prime minister. Hear also:
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