"The left cannot be about homosexuals," Fico says of the Direction-SD's expulsion from the European Socialists. Slovakia is becoming a Western bastion of Russia under his leadership
Slovakia is once again making headlines in the European media - and not for its innovations, cultural achievements or progressive policies. This time, the reason is Robert Fico' s forthcoming expulsion of the Smer-SD party from the Party of European Socialists (PES), a family of social democratic and left-wing parties across the continent. The move is to be officially confirmed at next week's congress in Amsterdam, symbolically completing a process that began years ago: the gradual distancing of the Slovak "left" from European values.
Robert Fico reacted to this in his own way. At the party congress he announced that his policy "cannot be about homosexuals" and that Brussels allegedly does not understand Slovakia's needs. In his view, Smer-SD profiles itself as an "authentic Slovak left" that refuses to conform to European ideas of what social democracy should be. But this "authenticity" is in practice more a mixture of nationalism, conservative attitudes and open flirtation with authoritarian regimes.
When the left stops being the left
In modern Europe, social democracy is firmly linked to the principles of equality, solidarity and the protection of minority rights. In many countries today, the left is a natural advocate for queer people, women, migrants and other groups facing inequalities. When Fico says that left-wing politics 'cannot be about gay people', what he is really saying is that his left-wing politics will not be about equality and human rights. And in doing so, he is fundamentally moving away from the values that underpin the European Union and most Western European socialist parties.
This departure is not sudden. For some time now, Smer-SD has been using national rhetoric, pushing for constitutional changes highlighting Slovakia's "sovereignty" on cultural and ethical issues, and gradually limiting the space for independent media. At the same time, Fico has openly cultivated relations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping - and defends his meetings with them as a "duty". But the duty of a European prime minister should be above all to defend European values, not to relativise them.
Russia's bastion in the heart of Europe
From a geopolitical point of view, Slovakia under Fico's leadership is becoming a kind of Western "bridgehead" of Russian influence. It is a paradoxical situation: a country that is a member of the EU and NATO is at the same time adopting the rhetoric we know from Budapest or Moscow. It criticises support for Ukraine, relativises queer rights, strengthens national sovereignty at the expense of European law, and moves politically closer to authoritarians.
Fico likes to present himself as a strong leader who 'does not flinch from Brussels'. In reality, however, he is shying away from the values that have made Europe a place of freedom and security for millions of people. When Směr-SD says it is doing "politics for Slovakia", it is more likely to be a policy that appeals to the conservative part of society - while playing into the hands of those who are interested in weakening European unity.
Homosexuality as a symbol
When Fico talks about homosexuals, he is not just talking about the queer community. In today's Europe, the issue of LGBTQ+ rights is a litmus test - it shows where the state stands in terms of values. Countries that support queer rights usually also support democratic institutions, independent media and an open society. Countries that reject them often move towards authoritarianism. Slovakia, unfortunately, belongs to the latter group - and Fico does not even hide it.
A warning for the whole of Europe
European socialists are now sending a clear signal to Fico: if you want to be part of the family, you must share its values. And that is precisely what Direction-SD rejects. Its policy is neither left-wing nor European - it is national, conservative and increasingly pro-Russian. Because while on the map Slovakia remains a member of the Union, in terms of values it is becoming a Western bastion of Russia.
And perhaps that is the most dangerous thing: when, under the guise of an "authentic left", the very definition of what it means to be part of the European community begins to be rewritten.
