The try and assassinate the Slovakian prime minister is a consequence of the country's slide into political polarization

The attack against the Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is widely condemned by world leaders as an attack on democracy.

In Slovakia, too, the act of violence was met with a unified response from the country's deeply divided political leadership. But how long this can last is uncertain. As does the outgoing Slovakian president – ​​and Fico competitor – Zuzana Caputova demanded an end to the “vicious circle of hatred and mutual accusations,” said Fico allies criticized the media and the country's opposition to inflame tensions.

As Expert on politics in Central EuropeI used to be interested by how liberal social movements in Slovakia responded to the rise of populist rhetoric and politics that Fico illustrated. This research has revealed not only the increasing rightward shift of former center and center-right politicians, but in addition how this has contributed to the creation of a polarized political environment.

Who is Robert Fico?

Robert Fico has long been a controversial figure in Slovakia Central Eastern European country with around 5.4 million inhabitants and member of the European Union.

A former member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Fico and his colleagues founded the SMER or “Direction” party within the late Nineteen Nineties as a left-wing party critical of the then right-wing Slovak government. The party also maintained one Anti-corruption This message gained popularity within the early 2000s and have become one of the crucial dominant parties in Slovak politics.

Fico became prime minister for the primary time in 2006. But only since his return to power in 2012 has he been seen as a polarizing figure in Slovak politics.

In 2018, Fico Forced to resign following the Murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirovain her apartment just outside Bratislava, the Slovak capital.

Before his murder, Kuciak claimed that SMER was involved in corruption related to the Italian mafia and the embezzlement of EU funds. In 2020 there have been five people, certainly one of them Connections to political figures were accused with the murders.

Fico has denied these corruption allegations. But the murders and allegations of corruption led to mass protests against the federal government and proceed to resonate today.

Polarized politics

Despite Fico's resignation over the matter, the country remained politically polarized.

In 2019 Čaputová of the Progressive Slovakia party was elected the primary female president. But a yr later, the election of essentially the most conservative parliament in modern Slovak history took place in Slovakia.

The gutted Caputova's liberal agenda against the right-wing parties in the federal government.

Right-wing parties have allied with the Catholic Church and conservative organizations to attack gender equality measures and LGBTQ+ rights And restrict reproductive rights.

The deal with culture war issues was accompanied by a coarsening of the political debate in Slovakia.

Hateful rhetoric is commonly utilized in political campaigns to oppose women's rights, gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. This rhetoric has contributed to further polarization.

And even before the attack on Fico, there have been indications that the heightened rhetoric was evolving into politically motivated violence. In 2022, two members of the LGBTQ+ community were killed in a bar in Bratislava from a known supporter the acute right.

Nevertheless, Fico continued to depend on populist rhetoric against civil liberties in his 2023 election campaign.

By then he had returned to the limelight through his resistance Public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. His widely published work followed Opposition to the delivery of military aid to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022. At a time when a few of Slovakia's closest allies, akin to Poland and the Czech Republic, fully supported Ukraine's efforts against Russian aggression, Fico launched a campaign in support of the policies of Hungary's Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin against the West.

This message proved popular and allowed him to return to power in 2023 together with his populist party Received 23% of the votes and to change into the most important party in a right-wing coalition government.

An attack on democracy

Since returning to power, Fico has shown no desire to resolve the culture wars which have divided Slovak society. Rather, his essential focus was on abolition and Restructuring of state authorities and institutions who’ve criticized his policies.

He moved in February 2024 the Slovak anti-corruption agency closed and abolish the special prosecutor's office that investigates corruption – a call that not only drew rebuke from the European Union but in addition brought Slovaks back to the streets to protest.

He also took steps switch off Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) and replace it with a state television channel.

Overall, Fico's efforts to limit civil liberties and suppress opposition were seen as a part of a process intended to rework Slovakia into one Illiberal democracyentirely within the spirit of Orban’s Hungary.

There remains to be loads to learn in regards to the motives and circumstances of the assassination attempt on Fico. But the officials said so it was “politically motivated”.and linked it to his divisive politics.

Any display of political violence is as follows World leaders have pointed this out, an try and undermine democracy. In Slovakia, where political polarization is high, these divisive politics have unfortunately been shown to steer to violent results.