Robert Fico, born September 15th, 1964, is a seasoned politician and lawyer from Slovakia who is currently serving his third term as prime minister. His political journey started with the Communist Party, just before the Velvet Revolution in 1989 that caused the separation of Czechoslovakia. Hailing from a working-class background, Fico represented Slovakia in the European Court of Human Rights for six years, from 1994 to 2000.
After being snubbed for a ministry position by the Democratic Left, successors of the Communists, he established his own centre-left party, Smer-SD in 1999. Smer’s sweeping victory in 2006 led to Fico’s prime ministerial appointment, two years post Slovakia’s entry into the EU. Moreover, in 2009, he successfully guided Slovakia into the eurozone.
The 2010 elections resulted in another win for Fico, though he couldn’t form a coalition that year. Following the 2012 governmental crisis caused by a centre-right administration implicated in corruption, he triumphed again in a landslide victory. He succeeded in winning yet again in 2016, however, public uproar over the murder of a journalist resulted in his resignation two years later. He resumed office in 2019 at the helm of a coalition with populist-nationalist leanings, marking his third term.
A figure enveloped by corruption claims, which he consistently denies, Fico is a flamboyant personality with a love for football, high-speed cars and bodybuilding. His political stance aligns with the likes of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and Viktor Orban, the leader of Hungary, whom he lauds for defending their respective countries and citizens’ interests.
Despite being a seasoned strategist boasting a 30-year career, Fico has skilfully balanced pro-European Union devotions with a fervently nationalist, anti-Western dialect. Whether Fico is swayed by public opinion or the political climate, he’s consistently adjusted his viewpoints accordingly. An avid advocate of Slovakian interests, Fico has been resoundingly vocal on countless issues, berating international NGOs, the European Union, and his political adversaries. He’s even been implicated in alleging a conspiracy and suggested election tampering.
Fierce opposition to immigration is one of his main stances and was pivotal to his 2016 victory. He also rejects any notion of a distinct Muslim community in Slovakia. Same-sex marriage is another flashpoint for him, as he has openly criticised it and described same-sex adoption as a gross deviation. Amid the Covid pandemic, he rose as the leading opponent to masks, lockdowns, and vaccination. Prior to resuming his post in October, he capitalised on the strong pro-Russian sentiment in Slovakia to shift the nation away from its pro-western alignment.
Concerns have arisen during his third term as Prime Minister, with fears that he could be steering Slovakia away from its pro-western trajectory, similar to Hungary under Orbán. His policies have sparked widespread protests in the capital and across Slovakia.
In February, the parliament sanctioned legal amendments that saw the dissolution of a special prosecutor’s office tasked with addressing high-level corruption, a reduction in penalties for financial crimes, and a limitation for rape crimes.
A proposal to dissolve the public broadcaster and replace it with a new entity was sanctioned by the government in April. Opposition parties vehemently criticised the plan, asserting it would grant the government full dominion over public radio and television.
Additionally, in April, Peter Pellegrini, a Ukraine-sceptic and close confidante of Fico, won the Presidential elections against pro-western liberal candidate, Ivan Korčok in a run-off vote. Pellegrini is anticipated to take over from Zuzana Čaputová, Slovakia’s inaugural female head of state. Čaputová, an ardent supporter of Ukraine in its clash against Russian incursion, stated last June she would not seek re-election following death threats.