2023 Slovak parliamentary election
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 150 seats in the National Council 76 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Opinion polls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 68.4% ( 2.6pp) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Results of the election, showing vote strength by district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Early parliamentary elections were held in Slovakia on 30 September 2023 to elect members of the National Council. Regular elections were scheduled to be held in 2024. However, on 15 December 2022 the government lost a no-confidence vote.[1] Subsequently, the National Council amended the Constitution so that an early election could be held on 30 September 2023.[2] This was the first snap election in the country since 2012.
The left-wing populist and social conservative, Direction – Social Democracy (Smer-SD), led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico, emerged as the largest party, winning 42 seats. The social-liberal and pro-European, Progressive Slovakia (PS) came in second, with 32 seats. Former Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini's social-democratic, Voice – Social Democracy (Hlas-SD), which split from Smer-SD in 2020, came in third with 27 seats, making Pellegrini the presumptive kingmaker in government formation negotiations. The conservative, OĽaNO and its allies won 16 seats, less than a quarter of their total in the 2020 election. The Christian-democratic, Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the right-wing populist, Slovak National Party (SNS) re-entered the National Council after failing to achieve the vote threshold in 2020, winning twelve and ten seats respectively. The classical liberal, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) won eleven seats, tying the 2012 election as their worst result since the party's founding.[3]
As no singule party or alliance reached the 76 seats needed for a majority, a coalition government was needed. Analysts considered a coalition of Smer-SD, Hlas-SD, and the SNS the most likely outcome, as Pellegrini had called his party and Smer-SD "closer" both "politically" and "ideologically" than PS.[needs update][4][5] A new government with Fico as prime minister was sworn in on 25 October 2023.[6]
Background
[edit]Prior to the previous election, Slovakia experienced a period of political turbulence, triggered by the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová in 2018. The incident led to widespread protests and the resignation of then-Prime Minister Robert Fico.[7]
The election itself was won by the movement of Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) led by Igor Matovič. The party emerged as the victor, gaining over a quarter of the popular vote, which translated to 53 seats in the 150-seat National Council. OĽaNO formed a coalition government with several other parties, ending the long-standing dominance of Direction – Social Democracy (SMER–SD).[8]
Electoral system
[edit]The 150 members of the National Council were elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency with an electoral threshold of 5% for single parties, 7% for coalitions of two or three parties, and 10% for coalitions of four or more parties. The election used the open list system, with seats allocated using largest remainder method with Hagenbach-Bischoff quota, a variant of the D'Hondt method.[9] Voters were able to cast up to four preferential votes for candidates of the selected party.[10]
All citizens of the Slovak Republic were allowed to vote except for citizens under 18 years of age, felons in prison convicted of serious offenses, and people declared ineligible to perform legal acts by court. Voters abroad on election day were allowed to vote by mail.[11] All citizens, who were 21 years of age or older on the election day and are permanent residents of Slovakia, were allowed to run as candidates except for prisoners, convicted felons, and those declared ineligible to perform legal acts by court.[12] All participating parties must register 90 days before election day and pay a deposit of €17,000 which would be refunded to all parties gaining at least 3% of the votes.
Voters not present in their electoral district at the time of the elections were allowed to request a voting certificate (voličský preukaz), which allowed them to vote in any district regardless of their residency. Voters abroad on election day were allowed to request a postal vote. According to the Central Election Committee, approximately 72,000 citizens of the Slovak Republic living abroad had requested a postal vote for the election. The deadline for requests passed on 9 August 2023.
Composition of the National Council
[edit]At the first parliamentary session on 20 March 2020, 6 parliamentary groups were established: OĽaNO, Smer, We Are Family, ĽSNS, SaS and For the People.
Television debates
[edit]2023 Slovak parliamentary election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Broadcasters | P Present S Surrogate NI Not invited A Absent I Invited N No debate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
OĽANO | Smer–SD | SR | ĽSNS | PS | D | SaS | KDH | Aliancia | MF | SNS | Modrí, Híd | Hlas–SD | REP | Piráti | PRINCÍP | SOS | KSS | VB | SPRAVODLIVOSŤ | SHO | MySlovensko | SRDCE | SDKÚ-DS | KARMA | ||
3 Sep 2023[13] | JOJ 24 (150th candidates) |
P Matovič |
P Bekmatov |
P Klus |
NI | A Kusá |
NI | P Hlina |
P F. Majerský |
NI | NI | P Huliak |
NI | A L. Pellegrini |
P Mazurek |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
19 Sep 2023[14] | Jednotka/RS | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | S Kaliaš |
S Smolka |
NI | P Stanovič |
NI | NI | P Panenka |
NI | NI | P Szaboová |
20 Sep 2023[14] | TV JOJ/JOJ 24 | P Matovič |
NI | P Kollár |
NI | NI | NI | NI | P Majerský |
NI | NI | P Danko |
NI | NI | P Uhrík |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
20 Sep 2023[14] | Jednotka/RS | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | P Šubová |
NI | NI | P Hrdlička |
NI | P Chlebo |
P Švec |
NI | NI | P Rybárik |
NI |
21 Sep 2023[14] | TV JOJ/JOJ 24 | NI | P Fico |
NI | NI | P Šimečka |
NI | P Sulík |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | P Pellegrini |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
21 Sep 2023[14] | Jednotka/RS | NI | NI | NI | S Schlosár |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | S Rajtár |
NI | S Schwarzbacher |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | S Tokár |
NI | NI |
22 Sep 2023[14][15] | TV Markíza | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | S Kaliaš |
P Hanuliak |
NI | P Stanovič |
P Chlebo |
P Švec |
NI | NI | NI | P Szaboová |
23 Sep 2023[14][16] | TV Markíza | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | P Šubová |
NI | NI | P Hrdlička |
NI | NI | NI | P Panenka |
S Kováč |
P Rybárik |
NI |
24 Sep 2023[14][17] | TV Markíza | NI | NI | NI | S Kotleba |
NI | S Letanovská |
NI | NI | P Forró |
P Šimon |
NI | P Dzurinda |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
25 Sep 2023[14][18] | Jednotka/RS | P Jurinová |
NI | NI | NI | NI | S Naď |
NI | NI | S Gyimesi |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
25 Sep 2023[14][19] | TA3 | S Remišová |
NI | S Krajniak |
NI | NI | NI | NI | P Majerský |
P Forró |
NI | P Danko |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
25 Sep 2023[14][20] | TV Markíza | P Matovič |
A Fico |
P Kollár |
NI | P Šimečka |
NI | P Sulík |
P Majerský |
NI | NI | P Danko |
NI | S Tomáš |
P Uhrík |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
26 Sep 2023[14] (cancelled)[21] |
N Matovič |
N Fico |
NI | NI | N Šimečka |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | N Pellegrini |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | |
26 Sep 2023[14][22] | Jednotka/RS | NI | NI | S Pčolinský |
NI | NI | NI | S Gröhling |
S Hajko |
NI | NI | P Danko |
NI | NI | S Mazurek |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
26 Sep 2023[14][23] | TA3 | NI | P Fico |
NI | NI | P Šimečka |
NI | P Sulík |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | P Pellegrini |
P Uhrík |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
27 Sep 2023[14] | Jednotka/RS | NI | P Fico |
NI | NI | P Šimečka |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | P Pellegrini |
NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI | NI |
Opinion polls
[edit]Issues and developments
[edit]2023 election issues included high inflation, Slovakia's position on the war in Ukraine and the related global energy crisis, COVID-19, internal fights within the previous government, corruption scandals and immigration;[24][25] questions of rights and values (particularly LGBTQ+ issues) were covered during the campaign by Al Jazeera English, BBC[25][26] and Pravda.[27]
By the week of the election, popularity polls indicated that the two strongest parties were the Progressive Slovakia (led by pro-European Michal Šimečka, a member of the European Parliament (EP) since 2019, and EP Vice-President since 2022, who has committed to maintaining support for Ukraine) and Smer-SD (headed by Robert Fico, three-time former prime minister, who has committed to ending Slovakia's support for Ukraine); however, neither appeared to be commanding a majority, and the BBC projected neither would top 20% of the vote,[26] so each would have to attempt to build a coalition with other parties to achieve the majority needed to rule.[24][25][26] Consequently, as many as 10 parties could wind up in the government.[26] The outcome could pose a crisis for NATO, particularly if Fico — to gain a majority and win control of the Slovak government — chooses to ally his party with Republika, an extremist far-right party, which blames NATO and Ukraine for the war.[24][26]
The third-largest party, which could tip the balance in favor of either of the other two, is Hlas–SD (Voice), the moderate-left party of Peter Pellegrini (formerly of Smer-SD, and former prime minister, 2018–20). Though non-committed, he is believed to be closer to Fico.[24][25]
Results
[edit]Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Direction – Social Democracy | 694,442 | 23.40 | 48 | +10 | |
Progressive Slovakia | 518,445 | 17.47 | 35 | +35 | |
Voice – Social Democracy | 436,415 | 14.70 | 30 | New | |
OĽaNO and Friends | 205,503 | 6.92 | 0 | –65 | |
Christian Democratic Movement | 202,189 | 6.81 | 14 | +14 | |
Freedom and Solidarity | 187,911 | 6.33 | 13 | 0 | |
Republic | 152,446 | 5.14 | 10 | New | |
Slovak National Party | 144,854 | 4.88 | 0 | 0 | |
Alliance | 130,183 | 4.39 | 0 | 0 | |
Democrats | 119,028 | 4.01 | 0 | 0 | |
We Are Family | 107,350 | 3.62 | 0 | –17 | |
People's Party Our Slovakia | 22,311 | 0.75 | 0 | –17 | |
Communist Party of Slovakia | 9,867 | 0.33 | 0 | New | |
Pirate Party – Slovakia | 9,358 | 0.32 | 0 | New | |
Modrí, Most–Híd | 7,935 | 0.27 | 0 | New | |
Hungarian Forum | 3,486 | 0.12 | 0 | New | |
MySlovensko | 2,786 | 0.09 | 0 | New | |
Karma | 2,407 | 0.08 | 0 | New | |
Common Citizens of Slovakia | 2,401 | 0.08 | 0 | New | |
HEART Patriots and Pensioners – Slovak National Unity | 2,315 | 0.08 | 0 | New | |
Princíp | 1,817 | 0.06 | 0 | New | |
99% – Civic Voice | 1,335 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | |
Slovak Revival Movement | 1,332 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | |
Patriotic Bloc | 1,262 | 0.04 | 0 | New | |
Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party | 771 | 0.03 | 0 | New | |
Total | 2,968,149 | 100.00 | 150 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 2,968,149 | 98.83 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 35,052 | 1.17 | |||
Total votes | 3,003,201 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 4,388,872 | 68.43 | |||
Source: Results (99.98% counted) |
Results by region
[edit]Region | Smer–SD | PS | Hlas–SD | OĽaNO and Friends |
KDH | SaS | SNS | Republic | Alliance | Democrats | We Are Family |
People's Party Our Slovakia |
KSS | Other parties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bratislava Region | 18.54 | 31.00 | 10.36 | 6.17 | 4.90 | 12.50 | 4.31 | 3.14 | 0.91 | 4.43 | 1.78 | 0.57 | 0.20 | 1.08 |
Trnava Region | 22.01 | 17.07 | 12.11 | 9.40 | 4.56 | 5.36 | 4.43 | 4.38 | 12.69 | 2.92 | 2.19 | 0.81 | 0.40 | 1.56 |
Trenčín Region | 29.47 | 16.63 | 16.40 | 5.93 | 5.44 | 5.63 | 7.28 | 5.45 | 0.03 | 2.84 | 2.22 | 1.06 | 0.46 | 1.03 |
Nitra Region | 25.31 | 14.42 | 14.40 | 7.47 | 4.06 | 4.80 | 4.51 | 4.46 | 13.91 | 2.19 | 2.01 | 0.80 | 0.26 | 1.24 |
Žilina Region | 25.79 | 15.51 | 16.04 | 6.90 | 9.38 | 5.56 | 8.11 | 5.61 | 0.02 | 2.80 | 2.02 | 0.96 | 0.34 | 0.89 |
Banská Bystrica Region | 22.89 | 14.96 | 19.76 | 7.41 | 4.29 | 5.14 | 6.53 | 5.18 | 5.17 | 2.40 | 2.73 | 1.33 | 0.43 | 1.67 |
Prešov Region | 22.04 | 10.83 | 16.16 | 14.78 | 14.07 | 4.10 | 5.73 | 5.22 | 0.07 | 2.65 | 2.36 | 0.63 | 0.31 | 0.98 |
Košice Region | 21.10 | 14.68 | 15.08 | 13.46 | 6.80 | 5.74 | 4.38 | 4.97 | 5.44 | 2.98 | 2.75 | 0.76 | 0.33 | 1.41 |
Foreign | 6.10 | 61.70 | 2.46 | 3.81 | 3.31 | 10.80 | 3.79 | 3.20 | 0.47 | 2.50 | 0.55 | 0.38 | 0.04 | 0.76 |
Total | 22.94 | 17.96 | 14.70 | 8.89 | 6.82 | 6.32 | 5.62 | 4.75 | 4.38 | 2.93 | 2.21 | 0.84 | 0.33 | 1.16 |
Aftermath
[edit]As analysts predicted, Pellegrini's Hlas-SD played the role of kingmaker in the "jockeying" that characterized the election's aftermath.[28] Two viable coalitions emerged: one consisting of Fico's Smer-SD, Hlas-SD, and SNS; the other of Hlas-SD, PS, KDH, and SaS. On 2 October 2023, two days after the election, president Zuzana Čaputová tasked Fico, as the leader of the now-largest parliamentary party, with forming a government within 14 days. On 3 October, she held "informal discussions" with PS's leader Michal Šimečka about the possibility of a PS-led coalition before meeting with Pellegrini and KDH's Milan Majerský. Following this meeting, Pellegrini stated that his party was not ruling out either coalition.
According to SNS leader Andrej Danko, the ensuing negotiations revolved around Pellegrini's future role. Fico allegedly offered Pellegrini the role of Speaker of the National Council, while Šimečka was willing to support Pellegrini for Prime Minister in exchange for PS receiving the Ministry of the Interior.[29] On 10 October, Hlas-SD announced that it had rejected PS's offer.[30][31] On 11 October, Smer-SD, Hlas-SD, and SNS ratified their coalition agreement, according to which they were to receive 6, 7, and 3 ministerial portfolios, respectively.[32][33][34]
On 12 October, the Party of European Socialists (PES) suspended Smer-SD and Hlas-SD over their plans to enter into coalition with SNS, which the PES views as a "radical-right party."[35] One week later, on 19 October, Čaputová announced she would not approve the coalition government's nominee for Minister of Environment, Rudolf Huliak (SNS), due to his avowed climate change denialism. This delayed the swearing-in of the new government.[36][37][38] After the coalition partners replaced Huliak with Tomáš Taraba (SNS) as their nominee for the post, Čaputová accepted the coalition's government. She swore in the new government, with Fico at its helm, on 25 October.[39][6][40]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Aggregate results for Ordinary People and Independent Personalities–NOVA–Christian Union–Change from Below (53 seats, 25.0%) and For the People (12 seats, 5.8%)
- ^ In September 2021, For the People parliamentary group dissolved after it fell below the required threshold of 8 deputies.
- ^ In June 2020, 11 deputies elected for Smer–SD left its parliamentary group to found Hlas.
- ^ In April 2022, ĽSNS parliamentary group dissolved after it fell below the required threshold of 8 deputies.
- ^ In January 2021, 5 deputies elected for ĽSNS left its parliamentary group to found Republic.
- ^ In September 2021, For the People parliamentary group dissolved after it fell below the required threshold of 8 deputies.
- ^ In December 2022, Change from Below terminated its alliance with OĽaNO and its 3 deputies elected on a joint list left OĽaNO parliamentary group.
- ^ In May 2020, Život terminated its alliance with ĽSNS and its 3 deputies elected on a joint list left ĽSNS parliamentary group.
- ^ In March 2021, a deputy elected for For the People left its parliamentary group to join PS
- ^ In February 2021, a deputy elected for For the People left its parliamentary group to join SPOLU. In March 2023 several deputies from the OĽANO group joined the Democrats.
References
[edit]- ^ Janiček, Karel (15 December 2022). "Slovak coalition government collapses after losing no-confidence vote in parliament". PBS. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ Kahn, Michael (22 January 2023). Lawson, Hugh (ed.). "Slovakia's former coalition heads agree to early parliamentary elections". Reuters. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Výsledky predčasných volieb 2023". Denník N (in Slovak). 18 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Coalition jockeying revs up in Slovakia after Fico win in Saturday's vote". POLITICO. 1 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
Based on the election results, Smer and Hlas would have 69 seats in Slovakia's 150-seat parliament, short of a majority. The nationalist SNS party, a former partner of Smer in two governments, has 10 seats and would be a natural move to complete a majority coalition.
- ^ "Slovakia election: Strongman Robert Fico's return to power". DW. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
Talks have not started yet, but the probability that Slovakia will have a Smer-Hlas-SNS government is very high," said Grigorij Meseznikov, head of the Institute for Public Affairs in Bratislava, the nation's capital.
- ^ a b "Slovakia swears in a new Cabinet led by a populist ex-premier who opposes support for Ukraine". AP News. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Slovak PM Robert Fico resigns". POLITICO. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico officially resigned Thursday, less than three weeks after the murder of an investigative reporter and his fiancée shocked the nation.
- ^ "Výsledky parlamentných volieb 2020". SME (in Slovak). 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ Slovak law 180/2014 § 68
- ^ "Slovakia Národná rada (National Council) Electoral System". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ^ "Voľba poštou, Ministerstvo vnútra SR - Verejná správa" (in Slovak). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Prieskum: Voľby by vyhral Smer, OĽaNO-NOVA mimo parlamentu". Pravda (in Slovak). 9 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ "Prvá veľká predvolebná debata je tu! V diskusii sa stretne 9 kandidátov, aj Matovič, Hlina či Mazurek". Mediaklik.sk (in Slovak). 3 September 2023. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "V televíziách sa začínajú hlavné predvolebné televízne diskusie". TASR (in Slovak). 20 September 2023. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "Krava do každej rodiny aj štát riadený umelou inteligenciou. Diskusný maratón na TV Markíza odštartoval prvou predvolebnou debatou". TV Markíza (in Slovak). 22 September 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Kluby na pestovanie marihuany aj štvordňový pracovný týždeň. TV Markíza priniesla druhú predvolebnú debatu". TV Markíza (in Slovak). 23 September 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Sledujte NAŽIVO: Predvolebná diskusia s predstaviteľmi politických strán". TV Markíza (in Slovak). 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Parlamentné voľby 2023 - diskusie". Radio and Television of Slovakia (in Slovak). 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Superdebata: v ta3 sa stretli zástupcovia strán KDH, SNS, OĽANO a priateľov, Aliancie a Sme rodina". TA3 (in Slovak). 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Sledujte NAŽIVO: Lídri najsilnejších politických strán prezradili, o ktoré ministerstvá by mali po voľbách záujem". TV Markíza (in Slovak). 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "Markíza zrušila finálnu debatu pre bojkot Smeru a neúčasť Hlasu a PS, OĽaNO to považuje za "mafiánske praktiky"". Denník N (in Slovak). 22 September 2023. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Miesto ideológií v školstve, popieranie holokaustu či zavádzanie bankového odvodu. Aj o tom bola piata predvolebná diskusia RTVS". Radio and Television of Slovakia (in Slovak). 26 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Finálna Superdebata Voľby 2023". TA3 (in Slovak). 26 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d "A NATO country could soon have a pro-Russian leader," Archived 29 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine updated September 28, 2023, CNN, retrieved September 29, 2023
- ^ a b c d "Slovakia’s knife-edge election to determine stance on Ukraine," Archived 29 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine September 27, 2023, Reuters in Al Jazeera, retrieved September 29, 2023
- ^ a b c d e "Ukraine war: Slovakia's Robert Fico eyes comeback in Saturday's election," Archived 29 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine September 29, 2023, BBC, retrieved September 29, 2023
- ^ Mogilevskaia, Anna (9 September 2023). "Sulík pre Pravdu: Pliagou Slovenska je silný štát, nie LGBTI. Po voľbách si viem predstaviť SaS vo vláde". Pravda. Bratislava: Our Media SR. ISSN 1336-197X. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ Nicholson, Tom (1 October 2023). "Coalition jockeying revs up in Slovakia after Fico's victory". Politico. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ Bilás, Zsuzsanna (9 October 2023). "Pellegrini nem kapkodja el a döntést, félidőnél jár a Smer kormányalakítási megbízása". Napunk. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ Ibos, Emese (10 October 2023). "A Hlas elutasította a Progresszív Szlovákia ajánlatát. Már biztos, hogy Fico alakít kormányt". Napunk. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Slovakian kingmaker backs Fico coalition, vows foreign policy continuity". Reuters. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ Nicholson, Tom; Hülsemann, Laura (11 October 2023). "New government emerges in Slovakia, with Robert Fico as prime minister". Politico. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ Hancock, Sam (11 October 2023). "Slovakia elections: Populist winner signs deal to form coalition government". BBC News. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Hovet, Jason (16 October 2023). "Slovakia's populist ex-PM Fico seals coalition deal for new government". Reuters. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Wax, Eddy; Barigazzi, Jacopo; Jochecová, Ketrin (12 October 2023). "European socialists suspend Robert Fico's Smer party and its ally Hlas". Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ Jochecová, Ketrin (19 October 2023). "Slovakia's president refuses to back climate change denier as environment minister". Politico. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Slovakia president rejects nomination of opponent of climate change policy as environment minister". AP News. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Slovakia president sets condition to appoint ex-PM Fico's cabinet". Reuters. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Jochacová, Ketrin (24 October 2023). "Robert Fico to become Slovakia's new prime minister". Politico. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Henley, Jon (25 October 2023). "Slovakia's new prime minister Robert Fico to attend EU summit". the Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2023.