A poll published on Wednesday by the Ipsos agency for the Slovak investigative daily newspaper “Dennik N” showed a close race between Smer (20.6 percent) and PS (19.8 percent). In an AKO survey published on the same day for the Joj24 television channel, the PS even slightly led with 18.2 percent, ahead of Smer (19.4 percent).
The polarization of the Slovak population is also reflected in these two parties. Fico means simple messages, pro-Russian and anti-EU messages. PS leader Michal Simecka, 39, is also the first Slovak vice-president in the EU Parliament. His party defends a clear pro-EU course, the principles of the rule of law, environmental protection, same-sex marriage, and men and women alternate on the list of candidates.
Portal/Radovan Stoklasa Robert Fico and Michal Simecka (right) during a TV discussion a few days before the election
“Slovakia must be a respected, constructive and reliable partner of the EU and NATO, so that we can also pursue our own interests,” Simecka said in a recent interview with Bloomberg. Unlike Fico, it avoids simple messages. He accuses the president of Smer of “hatred and extremism”.
Defeat in the last general elections
The party, which was only founded in 2017, has already had successes, but also a drastic defeat. PS voters can be found mainly in urban areas and among young people. It is no surprise that the Mayor of Bratislava, Matus Vallo, is from the PS. The current Slovak president, Zuzana Caputova, strongly pro-European, was also in the leadership of the PS.
She was elected in 2019 – a year after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. After her investigation into corruption and illegal activities related to the Smer de Fico party, the desire for a political restart was great. In 2018, Fico resigned due to great pressure.
In 2019, the PS became the strongest party in the EU parliamentary elections. However, in the 2020 parliamentary elections, the party, in alliance with the Spolu party coalition, no longer overcame the obstacle to enter parliament. The party’s liberal positions met resistance in Slovakia, which was still largely Catholic and conservative. The party has already reached 15 to 17 percent in the polls. Fico’s Smer is 20 to 21 percent.
Portal/Radovan Stoklasa Slovakia’s pro-European president, Zuzana Caputova, has close ties with the liberal PS
“Rebranding since the last election”
After the last parliamentary elections in 2020, Igor Matovic came to power with his party Normal People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO). The government period was characterized by chaos, multiple changes in the government team and, ultimately, the transfer of power to a specialized government, combined with the calling of new elections. Matovic even caused a stir during the election campaign with a beating. The populist politician interrupted a Smer party event and was later beaten by former Interior Minister Robert Kalinak.
The former government party, OLaNO, which runs in a coalition with the Christian Union (KU) and the right-wing Liberal Party for the People (Za l’Udi), failed to reach the seven percent threshold required for electoral alliances. The PS was initially unable to benefit from the chaos of this government period.
“Since the last elections, the PS has undergone a kind of rebranding”, analyzed Slovak expert Zuzana Zavarska, from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW), in an interview with ORF.at. In May 2022, Simecka assumed leadership of the party – the party’s fourth leader since 2017. Unlike other parties, there is no cult of personality around him, Zavarska said. Compared to others, Simecka is less known in Slovakia’s political scene. The party also has a wide range of experienced and high-level experts.
“Driving force of the democratic opposition”
“Most commentators don’t even realize that Progresivne Slovensko has become the driving force of the democratic opposition in the country,” said Slovak journalist Michal Havran in an interview with the Czech news website Novinky.
Under Simecka, liberal positions on same-sex marriage, for example, would now be less emphasized, Zavarska said: “That could help attract other groups of voters.” the government It is an advantage that the party was not involved in the previous chaotic government after the 2020 elections.
Difficult search for a partner
The outcome of the elections is uncertain, as many Slovaks are still undecided. Like Fico, Simecka would also depend on coalition partners. This would be even more difficult for the PS. According to Zavarska, the PS’s closest political allies include the Freedom and Solidarity Party (SAS), and Smer spinoff Hlas, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and OLaNO would also be possible coalition partners. But the obstacles are great, as there are fundamental differences in the political programs of these parties.
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Elections put Slovakia at a crossroads
These parties agree on their EU policies, but access to social issues such as same-sex marriage can be an obstacle – the KDH does not even want to discuss this, EU information portal Euractiv also reported. The stronger the PS is in the polls, the more the other parties oppose the liberal PS. Approval ratings for the SAS party, which is also liberal, have more than halved to around six percent since the middle of last year.
KDH President Milan Majersky recently said he saw “elements of extremism” in the PS. Smer warns of a “gender ideology” that the PS wants to enforce. For Simecka, other issues are at the forefront: in an election campaign discussion with Fico, he warned of Slovakia’s isolation if he came to power. Simecka sees democracy as threatened.