Paralysed by Hope

The European election in Slovakia uncovered that Kiska, Čaputová and now the winners of EU elections represented by Progressive Slovakia and Together may not yet be seen as a deviation in Central Europe politics still embodied by Miloš Zeman, Jarosław Kaczyński and Viktor Orbán. However, they could be seen as a new generation of politicians who were raised in the turbulent times of the fight over the character of the state. Nevertheless, we live in Central Europe and there is always some “BUT”.

Slovak society is again paralysed by hope towards a better future. It is able to fight against every extreme in a crucial time and mobilise when it has the feeling that the society, state, nation is losing its credits abroad. European elections should be the perfect example: the pro-European forces were able to mobilise crucial segments of the population, and with a lower level of turnout, they were able to win the election with more than 20%.

BUT, as we said, Slovak society is once again paralysed by hope.

It was paralysed by hope in the last local election when the new generation of politicians – finally without any communist past or shadow forces behind them – were elected, and they are functioning in their roles as pro-active volunteers in the public sphere. It was also paralysed when the youngest female president in the world was elected. And again, paralysis continues with the pro-European and pro-liberal politicians elected to the European parliament.