Analysis
Rule of Law
New RoL Risk: Polish Electoral Commission Challenges Top Court – QUICK TAKE
19 December 2024
Slovakia is poised to have a new government led once again by Robert Fico. With help from a former party member and the extreme right, Fico has been parroting Viktor Orbán’s rhetoric, raising speculation if Bratislava will soon go the same direction as Budapest or stay on calmer terms with the EU.
After securing his coalition deal with his old cabinet colleagues, Robert Fico has not backed down from his aggressive rhetoric, earning a suspension for his Smer from the Party of European Socialists (PES).
Some of the cabinet nominees caused an outcry in the Slovak media over their pro-Kremlin and conspiracy talking points, while concerns are high that Smer will meddle with the judiciary and police, possibly threatening the country’s access to vitally needed EU funds.
While checked by the election result in Warsaw, Fico is still likely to forge ties with Orbán’s Fidesz in Hungary and the Czech populist opposition led by the stained but still strong billionaire Andrej Babiš.