Progressive Slovakia Explained

Leader:Michal Šimečka
Founder:Ivan Štefunko
Leader1 Title:Deputy leaders
Headquarters:Grösslingová 2478/4, 81109 Bratislava
Country:Slovakia
Progressive Slovakia
Native Name:Slovak: Progresívne Slovensko
Abbreviation:PS
Think Tank:Progressive Institute
Youth Wing:Young Progressives
Membership Year:2022
Membership: 609[1]
Position:Centre
Seats1 Title:National Council
European:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Europarl:Renew Europe
Slogan:"We create the future together" (2023)[2]
Colours: Capri
Seats2 Title:European Parliament
Seats3 Title:Regional governors
Seats4 Title:Regional deputies[3]
Seats5 Title:Mayors[4]
Seats6 Title:Local councils[5]

Progressive Slovakia (Slovak: Progresívne Slovensko, PS) is a liberal and social-liberal political party in Slovakia established in 2017. The party is led by Michal Šimečka, a former Vice President of the European Parliament. It is a member of the Renew Europe group and is a full member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party. PS has three MEPs: Michal Šimečka (former journalist and researcher), Martin Hojsík, and Michal Wiezik (both environmental activists); the latter left the EPP and Democrats to join PS.

Zuzana Čaputová, the Former president of Slovakia who is also the co-founder and former deputy leader of PS who won the 2019 Slovak presidential election, was nominated by the party for the election, focusing her campaign on themes of anti-corruption, environmentalism, and pro-Europeanism. In the National Council, it was first represented by deputy Tomáš Valášek elected for For the People, which he left in 2021. In local politics, PS has a dominant position in Bratislava, cooperating with Team Bratislava and Freedom and Solidarity.

History

The party was registered as Progressive Slovakia (PS) with the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic on 27 November 2017, after the submission of 13,500 signatures.[6] The party's founding congress was held on 20 January 2018, which resulted in Ivan Štefunko being elected as the party's chairman. Štefunko views the left–right political spectrum as obsolete, instead aiming for the party to be a centrist and liberal political movement, claiming that "Slovakia is full of people who want a modern, open and European country".[7] Štefunko stepped down as the party's leader in 2019 following criticism of his past involvement in business and politics, although the official reasoning for his resignation was due to health issues. Štefunko was replaced by former deputy leader Michal Truban.[8] Truban is an IT professional, an entrepreneur, and an anti-corruption activist who also favors digitalization of governance and bureaucracy.

PS first gained attention in 2018 when Matúš Vallo, its favored candidate, won the 2018 municipal elections in Bratislava, and subsequently became the city's mayor.[9] After the 2019 Slovak presidential election, the victory of its presidential candidate, 45-year-old lawyer Zuzana Čaputová,[10] was hailed by international media commentators as a victory of liberalism over populism. According to political scientist Michael Rossi, Čaputová's popularity is related to her appeal as an outsider amidst frustration over political corruption and clientelism among the electorate. Čaputová first gained fame as a campaigner against a toxic waste dump created by real estate brokers who were connected to the ruling Smer-SD, which led to many commentators describing her as the "Slovak Erin Brockovich".[11] While campaigning for the presidency, Čaputová focused on the issues of corruption, inflation, justice, the environment, and overhaul of healthcare, and ran on the slogan "stand up to evil". She stayed silent on the issue of immigration and open borders, which most Slovaks were opposed to, and was the only major candidate not to condemn the Global Compact for Migration.[12] [13]

PS got the highest share in the 2019 European Parliament election in Slovakia, earning over 20.1% of the vote and becoming the largest party represented in the Slovak section of the European Parliament, with the Smer-SD's 15.7% and the neo-fascist Kotleba – People's Party Our Slovakia's 12.1%.[14] For the 2020 Slovak parliamentary election, PS signed a cooperation agreement and non-aggression pact with former president Andrej Kiska's extra-parliamentary For the People party and the Christian Democratic Movement.[15] [16] In an upset on election day, the PS/SPOLU coalition narrowly missed on entering the National Council after finishing with 6.96% of the vote,[17] as coalitions must reach a threshold of 7% in order to enter Parliament.[18]

Ideology

Progressive Slovakia is generally described as social-liberal,[19] as well as liberal.[20] [21] The party is socially progressive,[22] holding culturally liberal views,[23] and is pro-European.[21] [24] PS is economically liberal,[25] and occasionally called neoliberal.[26] PS also support queer rights, such as same-sex unions and same-sex marriage.[21] [27] The party refuses to cooperate with nationalist and populist parties, such as Direction – Slovak Social Democracy, Slovak National Party, Republic, and People's Party Our Slovakia.[28]

The party's position on the political spectrum is nuanced, and has been debated. Internationally, PS has been generally described as centrist,[29] [30] [31] or centre-left,[32] [33] [34] and as being ideologically modelled on the Renaissance party in France.[25] [29] Slovak politologist Darina Malová positioned the party on the left-wing of the political spectrum, labeling them a "modern left-wing" party; she distinguished them from the "old school" left-wing Slovak parties, such as Direction – Social Democracy.[35] Despite this, the party is generally associated with the centre-right in Slovakia, with the majority of its voters describing themselves as right-wing,[36] [37] and they have an overlapping voter base with the conservative Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO), centre-right For the People, and right-libertarian Freedom and Solidarity.[37] [38]

European representation

In the European Parliament, PS sits in the Renew Europe group with two MEPs.[39] [40] The party joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party in November 2018.[41] In the European Committee of the Regions, PS sits in the Renew Europe CoR group with one full member for the 2020–2025 mandate.[42]

Election results

National Council

ElectionLeaderVotes%RankSeats+/–Status
2020Michal Truban200,7805th
In coalition with Together – Civic Democracy, which did not win any seat.
2023Michal Šimečka533,1362nd 32

European Parliament

ElectionList leaderVotes%RankSeats+/–EP Group
2019Michal Šimečka198,2551stRE
In coalition with Together – Civic Democracy, which won 4 seats in total.
2024Ľudovít Ódor410,8441st 4RE

Presidential

Election! rowspan="2"
CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%RankVotes%Rank
2019870,4151st1,056,5821st
2024958,3931st1,243,7092nd

Party chairpersons

ChairpersonYear
1Ivan Štefunko2018–2019
2Michal Truban2019–2020
3Irena Bihariová2020–2022
4Michal Šimečka2022–present

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Výročná správa politického hnutia: Progresívne Slovensko . Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic . 38 . sk . PDF . 2022.
  2. Web site: Fiasko, zavádzanie aj nevyužitá šanca. Ako hodnotia billboardovú kampaň odborníci na marketing? . 13 August 2023.
  3. https://www.volbysr.sk/oso/sk/suhrnne_vysledky.html
  4. https://www.volbysr.sk/oso/sk/suhrnne_vysledky.html
  5. https://www.volbysr.sk/oso/sk/suhrnne_vysledky.html
  6. Web site: Interior Ministry registers new political party: Progressive Slovakia. The Slovak Spectator. 29 November 2017.
  7. Web site: Newly launched Progressive Slovakia aims for 20 percent of the vote in the next election. 22 January 2018. The Slovak Spectator.
  8. News: Jeseňák . Šimon . Michal Truban: Nemám dojem, že sme Kisku odplašili . 25 November 2019 . . 18 November 2019 . sk.
  9. News: Potočár . Libor . Čaputová's Progressive Slovakia Party on the rise ahead of EU elections . 25 November 2019 . Kafkadesk . 6 May 2019.
  10. News: Zuzana Čaputová elected President of Slovakia . 25 November 2019 . . 30 March 2019.
  11. News: Rossi . Michael . Slovakia's 'progressive turn' is a rejection of corruption – not a stand against populism . 25 November 2019 . EUROPP—European Politics and Policy . . 14 June 2019.
  12. News: Lindsay . Frey . Will Slovakia's New Progressive President Change Anything On Migration? . 25 November 2019 . Forbes . en.
  13. News: Walker . Shaun . Zuzana Čaputová, the spiritual liberal who beat Slovakia's populists . 25 November 2019 . The Observer . 13 April 2019.
  14. News: Jancarikova . Tatiana . Liberal coalition Progressive Slovakia/Together wins EU vote in Slovakia . 25 November 2019 . Reuters . 26 May 2019 . en.
  15. News: Kiska: We will defeat Fico . 25 November 2019 . The Slovak Spectator . 14 November 2019 . en.
  16. News: For the People Joins Non-Aggression Pact of PS-Together and KDH . 25 November 2019 . News Agency of the Slovak Republic.
  17. Web site: Valid Votes Cast for Political Parties by Territorial Division. The Election to the National Council of the Slovak Republic - 29th February 2020. 1 March 2020. Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 22 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20161020122838/http://volbysr.sk/en/data02.html. 20 October 2016. dead.
  18. Web site: Nordsieck . Wolfram . 2023 . Slovakia . Parties and Elections in Europe.
  19. Web site: Daniel Matthews-Ferrero . Patrik Fritz . Robert Steenland . 24 April 2019 . EU country briefing: Slovakia . . Recent presidential elections were seen as a crossroads: sticking with the old establishment in the form of SMER-supported EC Vice-President for Energy Union, Maroš Šefčovič, or a desire for change embodied in the political novice Zuzana Čaputová from the relatively new social liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS) party..
  20. Web site: 18 March 2019 . The Capitals: Präsidentinnen, Klimademonstrationen, Homophobie . . Die Anwältin Čaputová von der liberalen Partei „Fortschrittliche Slowakei“ wäre im Falle eines Sieges die erste Frau im Präsidentenamt des Landes..
  21. Web site: 31 December 2019 . Der globale Stresstest 2020 . . Ob ihre liberale, proeuropäische Partei 'Fortschrittliche Slowakei' an ihren Erfolg anknüpfen kann, oder doch wie in den Nachbarländern rechtspopulistische Kräfte triumphieren, wird sich bei der Parlamentswahl am 29. Februar zeigen..
  22. Web site: Peter Daubner . 3 June 2019 . The Slovak Paradox . Transform Europe . The winner of the EP election, surprisingly, is a coalition of two new political parties: the liberal, progressive, pro-European Progressive Slovakia and the liberal conservative center-right TOGETHER - Civic Democracy (Spolu – Občianska demokracia)..
  23. Web site: Lang. Kai-Olaf. Walther. Eva-Maria. 27 February 2020. Slowakei: Neuanfang mit Unbekannten. German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
  24. Web site: Teraz.sk . 11 November 2018 . Hnutie Progresívne Slovensko sa stalo členom liberálnej ALDE . TERAZ.sk.
  25. Peter. Müller. Christian . Reiermann . Macron Eyes Expanding His Movement Across Europe . And in Slovakia, a new left-leaning economic liberal party called Progressive Slovakia was founded last year based on the En Marche! model. . Der Spiegel. 14 March 2018.
  26. News: Presidential Elections in Slovakia . Zuzana Čaputová, the candidate of the non-parliamentary neoliberal party 'Progressive Slovakia', has won the second round of presidential elections with 58% of votes.. Transform Europe . 24 May 2019.
  27. Web site: PS predstavilo návrhy, ktorými chce zabrániť odchodu mladých zo SR . sk . spravy.pravda.sk . 2023-05-23 . 2023-09-29.
  28. Marcel . Marcišiak. Michal Šimečka z PS: Zo spolupráce vylučujeme Smer, Hlas a extrémistov, problém je aj Matovič s Kollárom. TVNOVINY.sk. 25 January 2022.
  29. News: Slovakia's 'progressive turn' is a rejection of corruption – not a stand against populism. Even within party ideology, Progressive Slovakia identifies closest with France's 'La République En Marche!' the party of Emmanuel Macron, which may be pro-European, but is avowedly neoliberal centrist.. Michael Rossi. London School of Economics. 14 June 2019.
  30. News: Ursula von der Leyen: Parliament vote puts EU politics to the test. MEP Martin Hojsík, from the centrist Progressive Slovakia-Renew Europe, said VDL's views on the climate and biodiversity were optimistic.. Euractiv. 15 July 2019.
  31. News: Slovakia Report. Bertelsmann Stiftung. 2022. 6 January 2023. Marianne Kneuer. Darina Malová. Frank Bönker.
  32. Dalibor . Rohac. A Rebuke for Populism?. New political parties emerged, one on the center-Left (Progressive Slovakia) and another on the center-Right (SPOLU-Civic Democracy), both backing Ms. Čaputová in her run for president.. The American Interest. 11 March 2019.
  33. Web site: Kto je kto. Průvodce slovenskými politickými stranami . ct24.ceskatelevize.cz. 13 August 2023 . cs . 1 March 2020.
  34. Peter. Morway . Slovensko asi konečne má demokratickú ľavicovú stranu. Otázka je, či má dosť demokratických ľavicových voličov . Denník N. 20 January 2018.
  35. Web site: Aká je ľavica na Slovensku? Od exkomunistov po Fica a Progresívne Slovensko. aktuality.sk . 13 August 2023 . sk . 4 June 2018.
  36. Dušan . Mikušovič. Focus: OĽaNO dobieha Kisku a Trubana, Kotleba má taký pomer mladých ako PS/Spolu. Denník N. 26 January 2020.
  37. Martin . Sliz. Vzniká priestor pre novú politickú silu? Rast Hlasu sa zastavil, progresívci sa viac vyhraňujú. Aktuality.sk. 19 May 2021.
  38. Daniela . Hajčáková. PS je na vrchole. Pätinu voličov dodalo OĽaNO, teraz nasáva hlasy aj od SaS. SME. 15 November 2022.
  39. Web site: Home Martin HOJSÍK MEPs European Parliament. 2021-04-06. www.europarl.europa.eu. 27 January 1977 . en.
  40. Web site: Home Michal ŠIMEČKA MEPs European Parliament. 2021-04-06. www.europarl.europa.eu. 10 May 1984 . en.
  41. Web site: Four new member parties join the ALDE Party .
  42. Web site: CoR Members Page.