Slovakia’s Elections: Domestic and International Implications

The approaching parliamentary elections in Slovakia have generated much international attention and concern. After a tumultuous year that brought the fall of Eduard Heger’s OL’aNO-led government, the snap polls on September 30 are shaping up to be close, unpredictable, and consequential.

The return of former prime minister Robert Fico and his Smer-SD party to government is likely as they have led in the polls since the spring. This may not only further deepen the domestic challenges to Slovakia’s democracy but also result in a shift in the country’s commitment to its international allies and support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, should Fico deliver on his increasingly pro-Russia campaign rhetoric. Supported by the democratically inclined part of the electorate, Michal Šimečka’s Progressive Slovakia is the party that stands the best chance to form a government that could ensure the continuation of the country’s pro-European foreign policy. Yet, neither of these two parties is likely to be able to govern alone. Who can form a government and what course Slovakia will take in the coming years thus depends also on the performance of several small parties.

In the wake of Slovakia’s parliamentary elections, this panel will explore the internal political and societal dynamics that preceded them, assess the results and the coalition options, and gauge their potential consequences on the country’s politics and foreign policy, especially its relations with the European Union, NATO, and Russia.

For more information, please contact Monika Dlugosch ([email protected]).

This event takes place in the framework of the “AUTHLIB – Neo-authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response” project funded by the European Union and UK Research and Innovation. Views and opinions expressed however do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or UK Research and Innovation. Neither the European Union nor UK Research and Innovation can be held responsible for them.

To learn more about the AUTHLIB project, visit its website here. You can sign up for updates about the project here.

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a nonpartisan policy organization committed to the idea that the United States and Europe are stronger together.