Political scientist Jozef Lenč. (source: Tomáš Kӧppl)
The approaching European elections in Slovakia will be different, partly due to the attack on PM Robert Fico, says political scientist Jozef Lenč of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Trnava. He also explains why well-known personalities decided to run in the race, and which candidate surprised him.
Why has the interest of people in Slovakia in the European elections been the lowest of all member states for such a long time?
There are several factors that can explain this. The first, and to a large extent the key one, is that the political parties have not been interested in these elections. They have deemed them to be second-category elections, where “useless” politicians are placed. This is reflected in the campaigns for these elections and the financial resources the parties invest in them.
Secondly, the European elections have been held after the presidential elections, which are more important for the parties. It turns out that they are also important for the voters, since participation in them is two to three times higher than in the elections to the European Parliament.
And last but not least, the reason for the low participation is the general ignorance about how the European Parliament works, why we should participate in the elections and what effects these elections have on our future. They have been uninteresting because they, and their meaning, have been unknown. It's a direct result of neglected education about the EU in our schools.
Do you think these elections will be different?
Yes, they could be different and they will be different. In regards to participation in them as well as the approach of all interested actors. In 2019, we recorded almost double higher participation compared to the previous elections (in 2014, participation was 13 percent, the lowest in the EU, ed.). Twenty-two percent of voters went to the polls.
