After a very heated debate, Odor’s government lost the confidence vote in Parliament. Only 34 deputies out of the 136 present voted in favor of the government’s program. However, there will not be another change of government because Odor has the confidence of President Zuzana Caputova. Until the election at the end of September, Odor will likely stay at the forefront of government affairs.
In addition to all the opposition, a large part of the previous government base had already announced in advance that they would vote against the government that had only been sworn in since May. So the two-day debate over the government’s statement was loud and lively. Instead of professional statements, personal subterfuges dominated. The far-right LSNS party, for example, has given Odor’s origins as a reason for his rejection, as “Pravda” reported in detail. Odor belongs to the Hungarian minority.
Promoted odor program
Although it was clear the government would lose the confidence vote, the 46-year-old former deputy governor of Slovakia’s central bank tried to push his plan. He wanted to bring calm and stability to political debates, “also a cultivated socio-political discussion,” he said. They have neither the time nor the mandate to fully implement reforms. However, efforts will be made to implement preparatory work for the successor government.
AP/TASR/Jaroslav Novak Expert government lost confidence vote and will temporarily run official business until autumn
The priorities of the government program, of just 28 pages, were to guarantee the proper functioning of the State until the new elections in September, to continue the humanitarian, political and military aid to the neighboring country Ukraine, which was under attack by Russia, to recover the finances public and provide state aid to weak sectors of the population in Ukraine from the inflationary crisis.
MEPs criticized the government’s program for being too vague. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer-SD party described Odor as a “neoliberal who doesn’t want to help Slovakia”. The prime minister himself hit back at the attacks, according to Pravda, saying he wanted to respond to any comments that were “constructive and fact-based”. For a few seconds there was complete silence. “Thank you,” said Odor and left.
Election campaign already underway
Observers in the country also attributed the attacks to the fact that parliamentary parties were already campaigning. Former Prime Minister Igor Matovic, leader of the strongest party in the previous coalition, OLaNO, harshly criticized passages about the current “historically worst” state of the country’s public finances. “Huge disgrace and lies they are spreading here,” he said.
APA/AFP/Peter Lazar Former Prime Minister Fico is on the verge of re-election
Smer-SD President Fico, on the other hand, complained that the expert government should just give the former coalition time to recover after its severe internal crisis and prepare for new elections in September. His party is currently ahead in the polls.
Expert government after a tough fight
President Caputova appointed the government of experts on May 15, following a prolonged political crisis in the country. According to Slovakia’s constitution, the new cabinet had to submit its declaration of government to a confidence vote in parliament within 30 days.
IMAGO/Gunter Kirsch Parliament in Bratislava withdrew its confidence in the government in December 2022, and new elections will take place in autumn 2023
Until the new election, on September 30, Odor will be in charge of official business. The government will operate with only limited powers and will not be able to make any fundamental decisions in the area of the economy or foreign policy, similar to the populist-conservative minority government of Eduard Heger, which has been in office since a no-confidence vote was lost in December.
According to current opinion polls, parties in Slovakia’s former right-wing coalition government are heading for a heavy defeat in the upcoming parliamentary elections. This raises fears of an imminent change of direction in Slovakia’s foreign policy. Because left-wing populist Smer-SD rejects further arms deliveries to Ukraine in the long term.