While one of the goals of the new Ódor government is economic austerity and curbing debt, political parties in Slovakia do not seem to be in favor of these necessary measures. They focus on other priorities: corruption, of course, but also security and immigration. Parties in Slovakia reacted in different ways regarding the new executive and are making electoral alliances for the next general elections. The Chairman of Smer-SD Robert Fico does not support the government. As he has for several months now on anything, he attacked President Zuzana Čaputová on a personal level, holding her responsible for “chaos and disintegration” in the country. Fico argued the way the Head of State has indicated the new caretaker government was contrary to parliamentary democracy. He also called the president “undemocratic” because she did not summon the parties in this regard.
In the Smer-SD’s case, the reason might be simple: Fico went so far as to accuse Čaputová of being a puppet of the U.S. embassy in Bratislava, expressing doubts about her mental health. As a result of this and other attacks, Čaputová and her family are receiving anonymous threats. The President will take Fico to court. Smer-SD leader insists the president agreed to hold early elections in September because this was an order by the U.S. embassy to be able to export more arms – Fico is against exporting weapons to Ukraine and does not want Kyiv to join NATO. Centre left Hlas-SD led by Peter Pellegrini welcomes Eduard Heger’s demise, but unlike Fico, he did not attack Čaputová. He does not offer support to the new government, but he “respects it”.
“Voice” called on the government to go to the Constitutional Court over the Heger government’s decision to donate Slovakia’s decommissioned MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine last March. These positions are equally shared by the right-wing Republika, who accused Čaputová of not being an impartial figure. Of the opposite opinion is Progressive Slovakia, which according to Media SK agency, is at 11.6 percent behind Hlas (13.9) and Smer (16.2). The party led by Michal Šimečka will support the Ódor government and will behave constructively, as it appreciates the executive’s well-balanced line of experts. PS also unveiled its political program aimed to support businesses and kick start the Slovak economy, with attention to measures to prevent young Slovaks from leaving the country.
Speaker of the House and Sme Rodina’s leader (9 percent) Boris Kollár is also enthusiastic about the new government. He will support it according to his priorities. During his party’s program presentation, Kollár specified that the main priority will be domestic food at fair prices; then the certainty of a house for families, and finally, interest-free microloans of up to one thousand Euros. Liberal party Sloboda a Solidarita (8 percent) also welcomes the new Ódor government – leader Richard Sulík defined Heger as the most indecisive PM in Slovakia’s history – so did OĽaNO. Like Fico, Igor Matovič criticized Čaputová on the creation of the Ódor government. The party will go into the elections with Gabor Grendel’s Nova party: the new acronym will be OĽaNO and Friends, Matovič announced in a press conference. The former PM is also working on talks with KDH and For the People party.
KDH is indeed being courted by many centrist parties. Christian Democrat leader Milan Majerský met with Heger to discuss joining forces. The party may not reach the threshold to enter the Parliament, a problem it shares with the right-wing SNS (whose leader Andrej Danko affirmed the Ódor government will just “keep the lights on”), and Heger’s Demokrati. While the former is considering joining forces with the Communist Party of Slovakia, the latter’s party is struggling to take off. However, good news for Heger come from the European Parliament: The European People’s Party confirmed the Democrats’ membership. Heger also invited the leaders of Modrí – Europske Slovensko (Blue – European Slovakia) of Mikuláš Dzurinda, Most-Hid 2023 (the Hungarian Christian Democratic Alliance’s new name), and Madarske Forum (MF) to discuss electoral cooperation. Most’s leader László Sólymos has already announced he will team up with Modrí ahead of the elections, nonetheless.
Amedeo Gasparini
(Published on amedeogasparini.com)