BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Large crowds of demonstrators gathered Tuesday in Slovakia’s capital city and other locations throughout the nation to oppose a disputed proposal by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico that would eliminate mail-in ballot options for Slovak citizens residing overseas.
The demonstration outside Slovakia’s Parliament building in Bratislava began with attendees celebrating Hungary’s recent weekend election results that removed populist leader Viktor Orbán from power, replacing his authoritarian leadership with a pro-European candidate.
Since regaining power in 2023, Fico has created controversy both domestically and internationally. His pro-Russian stance and various policy decisions have sparked multiple protest movements. Political opponents argue his authoritarian leadership style mirrors that of Orbán.
This week’s demonstrations represent the most recent in an ongoing series of protests challenging Fico’s governmental policies. Political opposition groups claim his current proposal deliberately targets pro-Western voting demographics, while Fico defends the initiative as necessary to “prevent fraud and manipulations.”
Opposition Progressive Slovakia party leader Michal Šimečka, who coordinated the protests alongside three additional political organizations — Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democrats and the Democrats — addressed the Bratislava crowd, stating that democracy itself was at risk, similar to Hungary’s recent election.
Šimečka warned that the proposed legislation would result in “tens of thousands of Slovaks living abroad will be prevented from voting” while demonstrators responded by chanting, “Shame, shame.”
“It’s clear they are doing it because they are afraid,” Šimečka stated regarding government officials and the proposed legislation, which faces parliamentary discussion during the current legislative session.
“They are afraid of people, they are afraid elections, they are afraid of losing,” he declared.
Should the legislation pass, Slovak citizens abroad would only retain the option to vote at Slovakia’s Embassy locations.
During Slovakia’s 2023 parliamentary election, nearly 59,000 overseas Slovak citizens participated through mail-in voting. Fico’s Smer, or Direction, party captured just 6.1% of those votes while opposition parties secured more than 80%.
Slovakia’s next scheduled elections will occur in 2027 for the nation of 5.4 million residents.
Additional Tuesday demonstrations took place in the Slovak cities of Košice and Banská Bystrica, along with gatherings in Brussels and Prague, the Czech Republic’s capital.
