29/06/2006 11:43:09 am
Slovakian Leftist Coalition With Nationalists and Authoritarians? The reformist government that made Slovakia a worldwide example of success lost the recent election. The leftist Smer won, promising to introduce a welfare state. But since Smer only gained 50 of 150 seats in Parliament, they have to form a colaition.

I previously considered it unlikely that they would co-operate with the party of the corrupt and authoritarian former Prime Minister and the Nationalists. It seemed more likely that they would form a coalition with the losing Christian Democrats and thereby Slovakia would have a more balanced policy after all.

Now it seems likely that Smer might turn to the extremists. Such attempts have been made. That would indeed be a coalition of statists from left to right, politicians that despise individual freedom. Already, international investors fear it. Such a coalition - and their old socialist policies - would for sure mean the end of the reformist success.

Furthermore, it shows the true face of the left. It matters less to them if they co-operate with Neo-Fascists and Communists as long as they have the power and can increase the influence of the state and decrease people′s freedom. Tragic but clarifying.