S&D’s door closed for Fico’s Slovaks. SMER considers “another solution”: Patriots on the horizon

Brussels – Having vanished the scenario of a new red-brown far-left group and being the doors of the Social Democratic group closed to an (almost unhoped-for) comeback after last fall’s ouster, all indications of the destination of the Smer Slovaks point to the new Patriots for Europe group in the EU Parliament. “Progressive European Socialists did not elect a single representative from Central or Eastern Europe leading the group; it’s absolutely unacceptable, and today I informed my SMER-SSD colleagues that I will no longer negotiate with the Socialists.” announced yesterday (July 9) with a post on Facebook the MEP Monika Beňová, chief negotiator of the party of the premier, Robert Fico, making known not only the reasons for the break with the group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) but also the next steps: “Tomorrow I will propose to my colleagues a different solution, one that will be honest for us and authentic for our constituents.”

The return to the S&D group of the 5 MEPs elected from the ranks of the ruling party in Slovakia was never a likely option, considering that nothing has changed in the country since the post-legislative elections political events of September 30, 2023. In October, the two social democratic parties SMER-SSD (of PM Fico) and HLAS-SD (of President Peter Pellegrini) formed a government alliance with the far right of the Slovak National Party, leading to the decision of the presidency of the Party of European Socialism (PSE) to suspend the membership the two parties for incompatibility of values. Since then, the relationship never calmed down, and, on the eve of the June 6–9 European elections, behind the scenes went an attempt to approach the new German far-left Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht – Reason and Justice (BSW) for the creation of a red-brown group in the 10th legislature.

In the weeks following the European elections—with the movements of the newly elected and the new balance between parliamentary groups—Slovak diplomatic sources let Eunews know that the only option on the table for the two parties was reunification with the Social Democratic family, even given the entry of the 8 MEPs from the 5 Star Movement (the real big fish for Wagenknecht and Fico) into the Left Group, which nipped in the bud the prospects of an even more left-oriented formation. Indiscretions were confirmed by the weeks of negotiations with the Social Democrats, which predictably did not lead to any results. “Negotiations in the European Parliament proceed as if the two major political factions do not understand what the results of the June elections indicate,” Beňová attacked. Words that echo those used by members of Patriots for Europe when the new sovereignist group was formed on Monday (July 8).

So far, the prime minister of Slovakia, an ally in the Visegrád Group of his Hungarian counterpart and founder of Patriots for Europe, Viktor Orbán, has not made known his intentions regarding his party’s alliances in Brussels. Still, rather eloquent are the words of SMER’s chief negotiator about the Hungarian leader’s controversial “peace missions” to Ukraine, Russia, and China. “Czech President Pavel questioned the activities of Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán and said that only the United States can agree on the conditions for peace in Ukraine,” Beňová attacked, pointing the finger at “the frightening picture of indecision and reluctance to become truly active leaders.” And, just like the Patriots for Europe, SMER’s five MEPs “will not support the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen” at the confirmation vote on July 18 in Strasbourg, had already made known the chief negotiator herself: “The vote will be secret, and this is a public position.” As for the only elected member of HLAS-SD, Branislav Ondruš, he made it clear to Eunews that he was “not even considering joining the new Patriots for Europe group” and that “my natural destination is the socialist family.”