Men of appetites

Slovakia’s voters face some unappetising choices on 29 February.

Robert Fico celebrates his 2012 victory. Robert Fico celebrates his 2012 victory. (Source: Sme archive)

“These are not men of vision, but men of appetites. They are typically unrefined and streetwise; they practice their populism with a knowing wink, issuing fact-indifferent, emotion-based appeals to their constituents, while focusing, with impunity, on consolidating their power, satisfying their hungers and enriching themselves.”

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Remind you of anyone?

In fact, this is from a superb profile of Rudy Giuliani by Jonathan Mahler, published recently in the New York Times Magazine. But in a reflection of how globalised the venal populist elite have become, it serves as a chillingly apt description of a majority of Slovakia’s political leaders.

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Voters in Slovakia, asked to elect a new parliament in just a few weeks, will choose from parties led by some deeply flawed men with few intelligible policies but apparently insatiable appetites.

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