Slovakia headed for snap elections
After losing the parliamentary majority for his government in December, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger has failed in his attempts to rebuild the previous governing alliance and has now agreed to early elections, which could take place this autumn. The national press wonders whether this can stop the decline of the country's political culture.
Public spirit needed now
Political apathy would be fatal right now, Sme stresses:
“The potential that the government (led by Igor Matovič at the time) secured in February 2020 to rebuild Slovakia after years of Fico governments has eroded over time, turning into a fundamental crisis of democracy and trust in public institutions. ... Politicians of all stripes, as well as active civil society, face an important task in the coming months: to explain to the public that despite the general disenchantment with politics it still makes sense and is important to vote, and that only an active public spirit can help Slovakia break out of the spiral of mafia-like and chaotic governments.”
Our politicians are a permanent disappointment
New elections won't fundamentally improve the situation, fears Új Szó:
“Most parliamentary elections in Slovakia's brief, thirty-year history were protest elections in which we wanted to punish those in power by electing people who like their predecessors quickly turned out to be crooks. And it will probably be no different this time around. The root of the problem is that the political arena has been turned into a primitive mudslinging show that scares talented people away from politics. And if they do enter it anyway, they are soon worn down by a system dominated by squabbling, money-grabbing business groups.”