Is there hope, Slovakia?
#76
Dear Friends of Democracy,
On Saturday evening, I watched Slovak TV until midnight. At first, in good spirits, hoping that this guy would win:
This is Ivan Korčok, 60, who was the hope for all pro-Western, anti-Putin, and anti-populist Slovaks — but he lost in the end.
What has happened?
In a runoff election for the Slovak presidency, career diplomat Korčok was defeated by this guy …
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… Peter Pellegrini, 48.
Here’s the final result:
What does the result mean for Slovakia and Europe?
Slovakia had been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies. A year ago, it donated its entire fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine. Things changed in the autumn of last year when leftist populist Robert Fico from the left-wing nationalist Smer party (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform and became prime minister. The new government immediately halted any arms deliveries to Ukraine.
What does this have to do with the presidential election?
Pellegrini, who heads the left-wing and nationalist Hlas party (Voice), finished third in the parliament election vote and joined a governing coalition with Fico and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party. So, Fico and his allies now control Slovakia's parliament, government, and, soon, the president's office.
How powerful is the Slovaki's president?
Quite a bit. He picks the prime minister after parliamentary elections, swears in the new government and appoints Constitutional Court judges. The president can also veto laws, though parliament can override the veto with a simple majority and challenge them at the Constitutional Court. The head of state also has the right to pardon convicts.
Why did Korčok lose?
Korčok beat Pellegrini by five percentage points in the first round of the election two weeks ago. Korčok, who has previously served as Slovakia's foreign minister and is also a former ambassador to the United States and Germany, denounced the aggressive campaign tactics of the Pellegrini camp.
Is he right?
Pellegrini promised to "maintain decency" and "not to descend into aggressive tactics" ahead of the runoff. But his supporters didn't deliver. Two examples. Fico denounced Korčok as "a warmonger who unhesitatingly supports everything the West tells him, including dragging Slovakia into [the Russia-Ukraine] war." And a day before the final vote, members of Pellegrini's party shared doctored images of a frail older woman embracing a man in military fatigues, with the caption: "Come out and vote. Don't let Slovak sons and grandsons die in war."
What to expect next?
Robert Fico's government recently targeted Slovakia's public broadcaster, submitting plans to abolish the institution and replace it with one under virtual state control. There are also plans to amend the penal code. This would eliminate the special prosecutor's office dealing with major crimes and corruption. Critics worry that Slovakia under Fico will abandon its pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Is there hope?
The killing of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in 2018 was a seismic event in Slovak politics. It ended Fico's second premiership in 2018 and led to the liberal, pro-Western Zuzana Caputova being elected president on a wave of widespread anger at official corruption and organised crime (Caputova didn't run for a second term, here is why). Now, this movement suffers a severe setback due to the election of Fico and Pellegrini. But the movement is here to stay. Since the beginning of this year, thousands have repeatedly been taken to the streets, spreading from the capital, Bratislava, to more than 30 cities and towns, and even abroad. So, yes, of course, there is hope.
See you in Europe,
Johannes