Slovak libertarians looking to replace chief who wants to return to EU Parliament

The ECR-aligned Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party’s chairman, Richard Sulík, plans to step down from his post next March, meaning the party will vote on his replacement while Sulík, an EU-criticising former MEP, focuses his energy on running in the 2024 EU elections.

Sulík was at the helm of SaS from its conception in 2009. The party triggered the fall of two governments, including the infamous decision to end the government of Iveta Radičová in 2011 as he did not want to greenlight Greece’s bailout fund, which Slovakia ended up doing anyway.

“I would be very unhappy if this political project ended with its founder. It is very important to know when to let go,” Sulík said when announcing his decision.

Sulík was an MEP from 2014 to 2018, during which time he frequently criticised the EU and called for the return of its slimmer version from the 80s. He intends to run again in the 2024 election, but not for a full term, as he also wants to take part in Slovakia’s 2027 parliamentary election.

SaS won 11 seats in September’s snap election and will be part of the opposition to the government of Robert Fico. It currently has one MEP, Eugen Jurzyca, after Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová left the party and ECR to join Renew in 2021.

“Whether it is filing with OLAF, guarding directives and gold-plating or defending Slovak interests in the EU, I have done it, and I know the environment. I hope that we can put together a very strong candidate and win three seats,” Sulík said regarding his intentions for the EU. He hopes Jurzyca and former president of Slovakia’s parliamentary EU committee, Vladimíra Marcinková, will be the two other 2024 SaS MEPs.

Sulík received his lowest number of preferential votes in the snap election, which he said was one of the reasons behind his decision. Candidates for the leaders of Slovakia’s libertarians include former ministers of the government of Igor Matovič.

Busy with the snap election, major Slovak parties are behind on their campaigns for the European Parliament election. Parliament’s Vice-President Martin Hojsík from Renew announced his decision to run again.

(Barbara Zmušková | Euractiv.sk)