NATO may soon have another member close to Russia. This Saturday, Slovakia celebrate a little elections Parliamentary elections involving national populists Robert Fico The wind of returning to power is in his favor. His party, the social democratic Smer-SSD, is ahead in all polls, but not by a large enough margin. The elections could also go in favor of Progressive Slovakia, a socioliberal group that advocates strengthening ties with Slovakia. European Union (EU) and support Ukraine.
choices put Brussels on alert. Smer-SSD dominated Slovak politics almost uninterruptedly between 2006 and 2020, but social protests broke out in 2018 corruption and forced Fico to resign over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. During its 12 years in power, the party deepened Slovakia’s European integration. However war In the east of the continent, they have promoted a foreign policy position described as pro-Russian, which concerns most of the 27 countries.
If Fico becomes prime minister, he could put Slovakia in an uncomfortable position for the EU and NATO. Its formation is deeply hostile to postulates. United States of Americablames “Ukrainian fascists” for conflict, advocates halting military aid KyivTo lift economic sanctions Moscow and to better deal with countries such as Chinese.
reactionary disinformation
A new Fico government will also change some things within the country. Although the Smer-SD party defines itself as social democrat, it maintains an extremely conservative attitude on social issues. That’s why he demands it be banned. gay marriage and eliminate most aid poorbecause he thinks that the Roma population, which he criminalizes, exploits them. Fico attacks multiculturalism with his traditionalist and identity-based discourse and migrationrefused to fight violence opposite women and assured that: Islam It has no place in the country.
Many experts have warned that these elections will be marked by an avalanche disinformationparticularly in one’s interests Kremlinand in which political leaders act as the main distributors. Fico and Smer-SD’s senior officials abandoned the idea. election fraud among his voters – by following the strategy he advocates donald trump– and they regularly invoke this theory: complo Anti-Semitism that puts a Jewish billionaire George Soros It is at the center of all diseases in the country. With all this, Slovakia may become more like the United States. Hungary related to Victor Orban. Interestingly, Fico, like the Hungarian leader, began his political activism affiliated with a communist party.
Controversial elections
Elections were planned to be held in Slovakia in 2024, but last December the prime minister Edward Heger lost the motion of no confidence. His populist and conservative party, OĽaNO, won in 2020 thanks in part to its promise to fight corruption. But their leader Igor MatovicHe had to resign as prime minister in 2021 after the scandal that emerged with the unilateral purchase of thousands of Sputnik V vaccines. COVID-19. Since the end of last year, the country has been ruled by an interim technocratic government.
Scandal also surrounds the elections. In April last year, Fico was accused of creating and directing a film during his 12 years in power. criminal group The former Minister of Internal Affairs will also attend, Robert Kalňák. The former Slovak leader and senior members of his administration face dozens of corruption charges; these accusations were dismissed as a “political process” aimed at his destruction.
complex balance
The other party that could emerge victorious in Saturday’s elections is Progressive Slovakia, a socioliberal party founded just five years ago that wants to strengthen its ties. Bratislava With Brussels and Kyiv. His options have grown rapidly since June, and the latest polls show he intends to vote at 18%, just two points behind Smer-SD.
However, it will not be easy for either side. The Slovak parliament is highly fragmented – 14 political parties are currently represented in the parliament’s 150 seats – and some smaller parties that could tip the balance to one side or the other have ruled out cooperation.
With 13% of voting intention, polls give third place to the social democratic HLAS-SD, which broke away from Smer-SD. The proportion of OĽaNO conservatives dropped to 8%, and the organization is in fifth place with 7%. neofascist The republic is also full of pro-Russian and former members. neo-Nazi LSNS, whose leader is in prison. Despite this, Fico has already shown that he is open to reaching ultras for power. Liberal, Christian democrat and 6 percent far right.
Source: Informacion
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