Our article explaining #Fico ‘s return to power @ 2023 SlovakElections now out. Important lessons for EuropeanPolitics & concerned by democratic backsliding: @fromagehomme.bsky.social @casmudde.bsky.social @petraguasti.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

A Narrow Path to Victory: Robert Fico, Smer-SD, and the 2023 Elections in Slovakia - Tim Haughton, David Cutts, Marek Rybář, 2025

Politicians whose political careers appear finished rarely make successful comebacks. Slovakia’s Robert Fico was propelled back to power when his party, Smer-SD...

journals.sagepub.com

With the news of Pellegrini announcing that he's only looking at a coalition with SMER and SNS (rejecting the offer of PS to make him Prime Minister), this longer-term view of Hlas's future by @marekrybar.bsky.social is relevant again:

Joost @almodozo.bsky.social · 3y ago

How Hlas's kingmaker role is a double-edged sword, putting it in power today but in peril tomorrow. "Regardless of the chosen trajectory, the medium-term survival of Hlas remains an open-ended issue." Marek Rybar: whogoverns.eu/the-2023-slo... #Slovakia