Slovakia is getting closer to a new general election and may give back power to three-time prime minister Robert Fico and his SMER-SSD party. His victory may see an end of Slovakian support for Ukraine and could bolster the pro-Russian front in the European Union.
The election for the 150-member parliament will be held on Saturday. Two polls out of four put SMER-SSD on a narrow lead over newcomer Progressive Slovakia (PS). PS is a liberal centrist party, led by European Parliament Vice-Chairman Michal Simecka. The party was formed in 2017 and currently has only one MP in the Slovak parliament. PS’ policies are more pro-Europe and the party opened to create a coalition with small conservative parties, but ruled out any alliance with extremists and with Fico’s party.
However, any party retaining a majority will most likely need to form a coalition government with a minor party. Both parties may need the support of third-polled party Hlas, a moderate leftwing party led by Peter Pellegrini, who was a member of SMER-SSD and prime minister in 2018-20.
Fico had been prime minister until 2018, when protests against corruption forced him out. He became more pro-Russia and prone to support misinformation on social media. Fico said during the campaign that he will end sending military aid to Ukraine and said during a televised debate that he would set up border controls. He sent a statement to Reuters saying that “We refuse statements and positions that state that the current Russia-Ukraine conflict is our conflict as well.”
If SMER-SSD manages to form a government, Slovakia will join Hungary in the anti-Ukraine camp inside the EU. The two countries may not block sanctions or aid to Ukraine, but they could help complicate the process.
