Slovakia’s new prime minister, Robert Fico, has taken office as the leader of a coalition government, promising to end military aid for Ukraine. Fico, who expressed this stance during his electoral campaign, has formed a coalition with the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS) and the left-wing Hlas-SD party.
With a slim majority of 79 seats in the 150-member parliament, the coalition government is expected to face challenges in implementing its policies. Of particular concern is the pro-Russian stance of Fico’s junior coalition partner, SNS, which has expressed skepticism over Ukraine’s territorial claims.
The issue of Ukraine aid is set to be discussed at an upcoming EU summit in Brussels, where Fico will be in attendance. While some analysts speculate that Fico may revise his position on military aid, many believe that he is unlikely to change his stance in the near future.
This is not Fico’s first time leading Slovakia. He previously served as the country’s prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018. However, his party, Smer-SD, faced setbacks in the 2020 elections due to corruption scandals, leading to Fico being replaced by Peter Pellegrini.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, led by President Zuzana Caputova, won 32 seats in the last election. As Fico takes charge, it remains to be seen how the new coalition government will navigate internal and external pressures while addressing the country’s political and economic challenges.
Stay tuned for updates on Slovakia’s political developments as the new government establishes its agenda and addresses the concerns of its citizens.
“Infuriatingly humble tv expert. Friendly student. Travel fanatic. Bacon fan. Unable to type with boxing gloves on.”