The political landscape in Slovakia has been the subject of heated debate since the announcement of a government coalition between Prime Minister-designate Robert Fico, the nationalist SNS party and the left-wing Hlas-SD party. This alliance has raised concerns about the future direction of the country’s foreign policy.
With their victory in the parliamentary elections, Robert Fico’s populist Smer-SD party obtained 23% of the vote, ahead of the centrist Progressive Slovakia party. The left-wing Hlas-SD party, formed by Smer dissidents, won 27 seats. These two political groups joined forces with the nationalist SNS party, which obtained 10 seats, to form a government coalition with a majority of 79 seats.
This unprecedented coalition raises many questions about its impact on Slovakia’s foreign policy. Indeed, Robert Fico has clearly expressed his intention to reorient the country’s policy on international relations, emphasizing better relations with Russia and questioning Slovakia’s support for Ukraine.
In a speech after the election, the prime minister-designate said Slovakia had “bigger problems” than aid to Ukraine. He also expressed his desire to hold peace talks with Ukraine if his coalition succeeds in forming a government.
These statements have raised concerns within the international community, which fears that Slovakia is turning away from its commitments to the EU and NATO, and moving closer to Russia. Critical voices were raised, warning against a possible undermining of democratic values and human rights under the influence of the far right present in the coalition.
It is therefore essential to closely monitor the evolution of this new government coalition in Slovakia and the consequences it could have on the country’s foreign policy. Slovakia finds itself at a crucial turning point in its history, and the coming months will be decisive for the future of its relations with Ukraine, Russia and its European partners.