President Zuzana Čaputová gave the coalition until the end of January to find a new majority in the National Council, while Prime Minister Eduard Heger said negotiations are underway, the prospects look bleak.
Heger’s government lost a no-confidence vote in the National Council in December that was initiated by the former coalition party Freedom and Solidarity – meaning it either had to find a new majority, call for snap elections or accept a caretaker government that would lead the country until the elections of 2024.
While opposition parties, including Smer-SD and Hlas, claimed that a snap election in June was the only viable option, Heger quickly promised to try to find a new majority.
However, Heger also acknowledged that this would not be possible without the Freedom and Solidarity party, which backed the government’s new budget for 2023.
Richard Sulík, Freedom and Solidarity’s party chair, flirted with the idea immediately after the budget vote but recently said that his party members sitting in the National Council are divided on the issue. “September would be a good compromise,” he added.
For snap elections to happen, the constitutional majority of 90 National Council members must support it. As of now, such a majority does not exist as the ruling Ordinary People, and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) cling to the hope of forming a new majority.
Čaputová, for her part, has clearly said that parties should make a deal on snap elections if no majority is found by the end of January. While an option, support for a caretaker government is not high among the parties.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders Peter Pellegrini from Hlas and Rober Fico from Smer-SD believe elections should be held as soon as possible. Both parties are currently polling at around 20% (Hlas) and 15% (Smer-SD) – making them the strongest parties in the country.
When asked about the potential coalition partners, Fico said that a coalition of Hlas and Smer-SD would be the best scenario for Slovakia.
Both Fico and Pellegrini did not rule out a coalition with the far-right The Republic party.
(Michal Hudec | EURACTIV.sk)
Source: euractiv.com
