Slovakia’s Populist Winner Forms Coalition Government Amidst Controversial Policies

In a significant development following the parliamentary elections in Slovakia, the winner, Robert Fico’s populist left-wing Smer-SSD party, has signed a deal to form a coalition government. The coalition includes the centre-left Hlas party and the nationalist SNS party, collectively holding a majority of 79 seats in a 150-seat parliament. While the coalition formation aims to end Slovakia’s support for Ukraine and resist Western sanctions on Russia, it has raised concerns among onlookers who draw parallels between Fico and other populist leaders. The new government is expected to focus on issues such as migration, stability, order, and social security, signaling a departure from the previous government’s liberal policies. The leader of Hlas assured that Slovakia’s foreign policy alignment with NATO and the EU would be maintained, emphasizing the importance of membership. However, the coalition agreements’ specific details are yet to be disclosed, and the allocation of ministerial posts remains unclear. This development comes after Robert Fico’s resignation in 2018 due to the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak, creating additional scrutiny and concerns regarding the new government’s approach policies and democratic values.