From Fico to football: Google unveils Slovakia’s 2024 search habits. (source: TASR)
2024 was nothing short of eventful in Slovakia. Google’s annual round-up revealed what captured the nation’s attention online, painting a vivid picture of a tumultuous year.
Topping the list of searches was the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico in May. Politics remained at the forefront, as Slovaks searched for updates on the presidential election, which culminated in Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini’s victory. The European Parliamentary elections and the U.S. presidential race also drew significant interest. Away from politics, the European Football Championship – where Slovakia’s national team competed – and an AC/DC concert in Bratislava were among the year’s highlights.
Google trends in Slovakia | Most Googled Slovaks | Most Googled Slovak and world events | |
1 | Robert Fico | Robert Fico | Robert Fico |
2 | EURO | Ivan Korčok | Presidential election |
3 | Presidential election | Peter Pellegrini | EP elections |
4 | EP elections | Juraj Cintula | U.S. elections |
5 | Céline Dion | Igor Matovič | AC/DC |
6 | Ivan Korčok | Hana Gregorová | Munitions for Ukraine |
7 | U.S. elections | Štefan Harabin | Danube floods |
8 | Peter Pellegrini | Petra Vajdová | Iran |
9 | AC/DC | Andrej Danko | Bomb threats at schools |
10 | Miki (Slovak film) | Ján Mikas | Northern lights |
Robert Fico dominated the list of Slovak personalities, with the country following his recovery after the assassination attempt. The presidential election spurred searches for candidates, including Ivan Korčok, Igor Matovič, Štefan Harabin, and Andrej Danko. Danko made waves earlier in the year with a bizarre crash into a traffic light and a hasty retreat from the scene.
Internationally, Céline Dion stole the spotlight with her performance at the Paris Summer Olympics opening ceremony. Bratislava hosted Jean-Michel Jarre in a memorable open-air concert as part of the Starmus festival. Meanwhile, the U.S. presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris featured heavily in Slovak searches. Another global moment came when Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, revealed her battle with a serious illness in a heart-wrenching video.
Most Googled "how" questions | Most Googled "who" questions | |
|---|---|---|
1 | How to vote in the EP elections? | Who got eliminated from Let's Dance? (Strictly Come Dancing) |
2 | How to vote for the president? | Who won the elections in the USA? |
3 | How is the situation at Strečno (mountain pass)? | Who is the president of Slovakia? |
4 | How is Fico doing? | Who got eliminated from The Rose for the Bride 2? |
5 | How to blow out an egg? | Who won the European elections? |
6 | How to preserve cherries? | Who won the Ice Hockey World Championship? |
7 | How to cook smoked meat? | Who shot Fico? |
8 | How the EP elections turned out? | Who invented the light bulb? |
9 | How to cook rice? | Who won Oktagon? |
10 | How to weave a whip? | Who got into the European Parliament? |
Google’s list of questions reflected the pulse of the nation. Slovaks turned to the search engine for guidance on voting in the European elections and the presidential race, with questions such as “How to vote in the European elections?” and “Who is the Slovak president?” The attempt on Fico’s life led many to ask, “How is Fico doing?” But alongside political queries were practical ones: “How to preserve cherries?” and “How to cook rice?” were among the most Googled.
Slovaks were also captivated by the northern lights, a rare and enchanting spectacle in the region, and moved by the fundraiser “Munitions for Ukraine.” However, fears over rising waters on the Danube and a spate of bomb threats at schools cast a shadow over the year.
