The AUTHLIB consortium cordially invites you to the online discussion titled
Slovakia’s Elections: Domestic and International Implications
on
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
at
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CET / 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. ET
REGISTER HERE
The approaching parliamentary elections in Slovakia have generated much international attention and concern. After a tumultuous year that brought the fall of Eduard Heger’s OL’aNO-led government, the snap polls on September 30 are shaping up to be close, unpredictable, and consequential.The return of former prime minister Robert Fico and his Smer-SD party to government is likely as they have led in the polls since the spring. This may not only further deepen the domestic challenges to Slovakia’s democracy but also result in a shift in the country’s commitment to its international allies and support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, should Fico deliver on his increasingly pro-Russia campaign rhetoric. Supported by the democratically inclined part of the electorate, Michal Šimečka’s Progressive Slovakia is the party that stands the best chance to form a government that could ensure the continuation of the country’s pro-European foreign policy. Yet, neither of these two parties is likely to be able to govern alone. Who can form a government and what course Slovakia will take in the coming years thus depends also on the performance of several small parties.In the wake of Slovakia’s parliamentary elections, this panel will explore the internal political and societal dynamics that preceded them, assess the results and the coalition options, and gauge their potential consequences on the country’s politics and foreign policy, especially its relations with the European Union, NATO, and Russia.
Panelists:
Pavol Demeš, Visiting Distinguished Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
Roman Hlatky, Assistant Professor, University of North Texas
Zuzana Kepplová, Columnist and Editor, SME
Moderator:
Zsuzsanna Végh, Visiting Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
REGISTER HERE
This event takes place in the framework of the “AUTHLIB – Neo-authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response” project.
Photo credit: PX Media via Shutterstock
