PM Robert Fico and his cabinet. (source: TASR)
Robert Fico does not even pretend he is expecting anything less than snap elections. Just before the last weekend, he saw the most massive protests since 2018 (when journalist Ján Kuciak was murdered - Ed.), more and more professional associations are criticising his government, and immediately after that, his government lost the majority.
And so he entered the campaign mode, starting with a solo press conference about constitutional changes in regards to cultural and ethical issues. The most pressing question is whether starting tomorrow or even after its possible approval in the future this proposal will make life in Slovakia better. Will the healthcare reform be launched, will the use of money from EU funds and the recovery plan be accelerated, will the infrastructure be repaired?
No, none of this will happen. Fico knows this too well; even if he wanted to, it is not in his power to do anything about it. He no longer even wants to simulate any semblance of ruling.
And so, using a new issue he is dissecting Hlas and SNS, he warms up die-hard voters and tries to break up the opposition.
First, he told his coalition partners Hlas and SNS that the rebelling MPS are their own internal problem and that he is not going to help in solving them. According to him, Smer is united and he does not understand the actions of [Hlas chair Matúš] Šutaj Eštok and [SNS chair Andrej] Danko. If they do not put things in line by the next week's parliamentary session, there is no point in prolonging this suffering.
It is not that he made a mistake in pointing out those responsible for the loss of the majority, but he is primarily responsible for the societal resistance.
The dwindling numbers of coalition voters have been thrown more fuel to their anger and resentment in the form of adoptions [of children by same-sex couples or single people], gender, the supposed dictate of the European Union. By opening a quasi-debate on these constitutional amendments, he is trying his best to delay the moment when even his voters will start asking questions why many things cost more and why many things do not work.
Aside from that, things in the constitution Fico wants to change are unenforceable proposals (the supremacy of the constitution over EU law), partly regulated by simple laws (the educational process, equal pay), and although he can approve the rest (limiting adoptions and defining gender), he will do more harm than good to society.
And thirdly, he has also launched disruptive actions against the united opposition. Since Fico does not have enough MPs to not only change the constitution, but also to pass a simple law, he has chosen a topic in the hope of luring the cooperation of the Christian MPs of KDH.
So perhaps it only needs to be said that at joint meetings the three-party bloc of Progressive Slovakia, SaS, KDH has been repeating the unity mantra in the face of an autocrat many times. If it is like that, any manoeuvres on the part of KDH will only be to secure their voters.
Fico has pulled out an old trick, there is no need to be fall for it.
© Sme
