Autocratization Attempt Across the Political Spectrum: A Case Study of the Fourth Government of Robert Fico
Sprache des Vortragstitels:
Englisch
Original Tagungtitel:
Democratization and Autocratization: IPSA 75th Anniversary Conference
Sprache des Tagungstitel:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
In the fall of 2023, Robert Fico returned to power to form his fourth government in Slovakia, a coalition of his social democratic SMER party, the social democratic Hlas party, and the Slovak National Party, which represents nationalist right-wing factions. Despite their different political backgrounds, these parties share a commitment to values such as conservative identity politics, nationalist populism, and a critique of liberal democratic principles. This paper examines how autocratic processes are manifested not only in governments formed by right-wing parties, but also with left-wing parties, challenging the notion that autocratic processes in 21st century Europe are associated with the political right. Through a qualitative analysis of party manifestos and media coverage of the 2023 Slovak elections, the paper examines ideological convergence and autocratization trends within the coalition government. The findings suggest that the erosion of democratic norms transcends traditional political sides and is rather determined by the leaders of a given political formation and their identity politics, highlighting the nuanced dynamics of autocratization in contemporary political processes. This paper contributes to the broader debate on the complexity of autocratization, emphasizing the declining importance of the right-left divide and the increasing relevance of identity politics.
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