海角大神

In Slovakia, a 'fascist'-led party gains seats

The results of Slovakia's national election will take away the ruling party's majority stake in parliament while granting several parties, including one led by man with sympathies for the country's Nazi collaborators past, greater influence in Slovakian politics.

The ruling party in Slovakia will stay in power following the Central European country鈥檚 Saturday election while losing its majority command of the parliament, which could affect Slovakia鈥檚 position on issues confronting the European Union, including the continent's migrant crisis.

Prime Minister Robert Fico鈥檚 Smer-Social Democracy party finished with , according to the Associated Press, which correlates to 49 seats in the 150-seat parliament. The last Slovakian election, held in 2012, garnered Mr. Fico鈥檚 party a 44.4 percent vote and a majority in the legislature.

The 28.3 percent for Smer-Social Democracy聽is not enough to ensure that his party will keep control, with the Freedom and Solidarity party collecting a 12.1 percent share of Slovakia鈥檚 voters, good for 21 parliamentary seats, and the Ordinary People winning 11 percent.

The extreme-right People鈥檚 Party took in 8 percent of the votes and 14 seats in parliament. Despite the electoral split, Fico said he would work to rebuild a coalition that could take control going forward, possibly with the Slovak National Party, which took in 8.6 percent of the votes cast.

鈥淎s the party that won the election we have the obligation to try build a meaningful and stable government,鈥� Fico said, per The Guardian. 鈥�, I am saying that very clearly.鈥�

In order to win back the majority government, Fico鈥檚 party could need to form an alliance with multiple groups, which the prime minister had hoped to avoid. Fico鈥檚 party entered the election with a platform that included strong anti-migrant and anti-Muslim sentiments, despite Slovakia鈥檚 absence from the main migrant routes through Europe and relative disconnect from the ongoing crisis related to that issue.

As other countries in the Balkan region and Central Europe are caught in the midst of a migration surge, Fico鈥檚 opposition to allowing refugee quotas backed by the EU and his resistance to the 鈥渇iction鈥� of multiculturalism makes Slovakia one of the European nations not open to the migrant flow.

Despite that Smer-Social Democracy position, issues in Slovakia including teacher strikes, unemployment, and corruption in the healthcare system may have diverted votes from Fico鈥檚 migrant-heavy platform to the other parties鈥� greater focus on domestic issues, including the People鈥檚 Party, chaired by Marian Kotleba.

Mr. Kotleba, a former leader of a now-banned neo-Nazi party, gained notoriety in 2013 during a successful campaign for regional governor in which he praised the Slovak Nazi collaborationist government during World War II. The Economist describes him as "[o]nce fond of wearing ."

Kotleba鈥檚 success at the national level also has an impact on Slovakia鈥檚 position in Europe, where most countries are unaccustomed to encountering pro-Nazi sentiments in government. Kotleba has also expressed his opposition to the EU, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the United States, and already has Slovakian politicians on edge.

鈥淭he perception of Slovakia in Europe will be complicated,鈥� Slovakian Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Laj膷谩k said, per the AP. 鈥淲e have elected a fascist to Parliament.鈥�

Political analyst Marian Lesko said the shift to new figures in politics replacing wider support for Fico, including Kotleba鈥檚 advance, highlight Slovakian voters鈥� frustration with old politics, regardless of the impact newly elected officials could have on Slovakian policy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that happened in the Czech Republic in the last elections 鈥� ,鈥欌�� Mr. Lesko said on TV Mark铆za, according to The New York Times. 鈥淣ew faces are coming into politics. We will have to get used to them.鈥�