Germany’s SPD backs Slovak Hlas joining EU socialists

Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) will support Hlas’ membership bid to join the Party of European Socialists (PES), said SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil, adding that Smer will face the consequences if it cooperates with the far-right.

Klingbeil met Hlas leader Peter Pellegrini on Sunday, and both men touted their similarities. The meeting comes after Pellegrini met SPD leader and German chancellor Olaf Scholz in March.

“I asked for support in our efforts to become a member. I’m glad that SPD will vote and support the admittance of the Hlas party among regular members since so far we’ve only been an associate,” said Pellegrini ahead of the October PES congress in Madrid.

Pellegrini created the Hlas party after leaving Smer in 2020. He previously replaced Fico as prime minister when public protests erupted following the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiance.

Pellegrini used the meeting to differentiate himself from Fico, criticising his former party boss and PES member for his willingness to “stand on the wrong side of the conflict for a few per cent” in the upcoming September snap election.

Fico has been arguing against arming Ukraine and angered Germans when he used the Nazi-era term “Wehrmacht” to describe the German army. PES leadership has received two MEP open letters calling to suspend Smer’s membership, also due to their willingness to cooperate with the far-right party Republika.

This had already happened in 2006 when Smer formed a government with the Slovak National Party. SNS is running again in 2023 and seeking Smer cooperation.

Klingbeil said that for the SPD, there is a clear “cordon sanitaire” against the far-right and that such derogation from socialist values would earn “consequences”, adding that the time has not yet come for concrete steps, and they are “monitoring” the situation.

Replying to a question on differences between Smer and Hlas, Klingbeil said Pellegrini was a “reliable partner who wants to join and not divide”. Both politicians agreed on the need for German-Slovak cooperation in the arms industry.

(Barbara Zmušková | EURACTIV.sk)