Progressive Slovakia
Progresívne Slovensko
AbbreviationPS
LeaderMichal Šimečka
Deputy Leaders
See list
FounderIvan Štefunko
Founded27 November 2017 (2017-11-27)
HeadquartersGrösslingová 2478/4, 81109 Bratislava
Youth wingYoung Progressives
Women's wingProgressive Women
Membership (2022)Decrease 609[1]
Ideology
Political positionCentre
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
European Parliament groupRenew Europe
Colours  Capri
Slogan"It can be done, normally and professionally." (2023)[2]
National Council
32 / 150
European Parliament
2 / 14
Regional governors
0 / 8
Regional deputies[lower-alpha 1][3]
38 / 419
Mayors[lower-alpha 1][3]
9 / 2,904
Local councils[lower-alpha 1][3]
302 / 20,462
Website
www.progresivne.sk

Progressive Slovakia (Slovak: Progresívne Slovensko, PS) is a liberal and social-liberal political party in Slovakia established in 2017.

The party is led by former Vice President of the European Parliament Michal Šimečka. 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 group and Democrats to join PS. Zuzana Čaputová, incumbent President of Slovakia, co-founder and former deputy leader of Progressive Slovakia 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

Progressive Slovakia was registered with the Slovak Interior Ministry on 27 November 2017, after the submission of 13,500 signatures.[4] 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".[5] However, 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.[6] Štefunko was replaced by former deputy leader Michal Truban.[7] Truban is an IT professional, an entrepreneur, and an anti-corruption activist, who also favors digitalization of governance and bureaucracy.[6]

Zuzana Čaputová, co-founder and former deputy leader of Progressive Slovakia, became the first country's female president, as well as the youngest president in the history of Slovakia

The party first gained attention in 2018 when its favored candidate, Matúš Vallo, won the 2018 municipal elections in Bratislava, and subsequently became the city's mayor.[6] After the 2019 presidential election, the victory of Progressive Slovakia's presidential candidate, 45-year-old lawyer Zuzana Čaputová,[8] was hailed by international media commentators as a victory of liberalism over right-wing populism.[9] According to Professor 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".[9] 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 are opposed to, and was the only major candidate not to condemn the Global Compact on Migration.[10][11]

The party also 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 Direction – Social Democracy's 15.7% and the neo-fascist Kotleba – People's Party Our Slovakia's 12.1%.[12] For the 2020 parliamentary election, Progressive Slovakia 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.[13][14] However on election day, in rather stunning fashion, the PS/Spolu coalition narrowly missed on entering the National Council after finishing with 6.96% of the vote,[15] as coalitions must reach a threshold of 7% in order to enter parliament.[16]

Ideology

Progressive Slovakia was described as social-liberal[17] and liberal.[18][19][20][16] The party is socially progressive,[20] holding culturally liberal views[21] and is pro-European.[19][22] PS is economically liberal[23] and occasionally called neo-liberal.[24][25] PS also support LGBT rights such as same-sex unions and same-sex marriage.[19][26]

PS was positioned as centrist[24][27][28] or centre-left.[23][29][30][31] It was ideologically modelled on the En Marche party in France.[24][23] Politologist Darina Malová positioned the party in the left-wing political spectrum, labeling them a "modern left-wing" party, distinguishing them from the so called "old school" left-wing Slovak parties such as Direction – Social Democracy.[32] Despite this, the party is generally associated with the Slovak centre-right,[33] with the majority of its voters describing themselves as "right-wing"[33][34] and they have an overlapping voter base with the conservative Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO), centre-right For the People and libertarian Freedom and Solidarity.[33][35]

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.[36]

European representation

In the European Parliament, Progressive Slovakia sits in the Renew Europe group with two MEPs.[37][38] The party joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party in November 2018.[39]

In the European Committee of the Regions, Progressive Slovakia sits in the Renew Europe CoR group with one full member for the 2020-2025 mandate.[40]

Election results

National Council

Election Leader Votes  % Rank Seats +/– Status
2020 Michal Truban 200,780
7.0%
 5th
0 / 150
 Extra-parliamentary
In coalition with Together – Civic Democracy, which did not win any seat.
2023 Michal Šimečka 533,136
18.0%
 2nd
32 / 150
 Increase 32 Opposition

European Parliament

Election Leader Votes % Rank Seats +/– Group
2019 Michal Šimečka 198,255
20.1%
 1st
2 / 14
 RE
In coalition with Together – Civic Democracy, which won 4 seats in total.

Presidential

Election Candidate 1st round 2nd round
Votes % Rank Votes % Rank
2019 Zuzana Čaputová 870,415
40.6%
 1st 1,056,582
58.4%
 1st

Party leaders

Leader Year
1 Ivan Štefunko 2018–2019
2 Michal Truban 2019–2020
3 Irena Bihariová 2020–2022
4 Michal Šimečka 2022–present

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Also with coalitions.

References

  1. ↑ "Výročná správa politického hnutia: Progresívne Slovensko" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior (Slovakia) (in Slovak). 2022. p. 38.
  2. ↑ "Strany hľadajú slogan, ktorým trafia náladu voličov. Po "konci chaosu" od Smeru to PS skúša s "normálnosťou"". 20 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 https://www.volbysr.sk/oso/sk/suhrnne_vysledky.html
  4. ↑ "Interior Ministry registers new political party: Progressive Slovakia". The Slovak Spectator. 29 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Newly launched Progressive Slovakia aims for 20 percent of the vote in the next election". The Slovak Spectator. 22 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Potočár, Libor (6 May 2019). "Čaputová's Progressive Slovakia Party on the rise ahead of EU elections". Kafkadesk. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Jeseňák, Šimon (18 November 2019). "Michal Truban: Nemám dojem, že sme Kisku odplašili". Týždeň (in Slovak). Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Zuzana Čaputová elected President of Slovakia". TASS. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  9. 1 2 Rossi, Michael (14 June 2019). "Slovakia's 'progressive turn' is a rejection of corruption – not a stand against populism". EUROPP—European Politics and Policy. London School of Economics. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  10. ↑ Lindsay, Frey. "Will Slovakia's New Progressive President Change Anything On Migration?". Forbes. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  11. ↑ Walker, Shaun (13 April 2019). "Zuzana Čaputová, the spiritual liberal who beat Slovakia's populists". The Observer. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  12. ↑ Jancarikova, Tatiana (26 May 2019). "Liberal coalition Progressive Slovakia/Together wins EU vote in Slovakia". Reuters. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "Kiska: We will defeat Fico". The Slovak Spectator. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "For the People Joins Non-Aggression Pact of PS-Together and KDH". News Agency of the Slovak Republic. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  15. ↑ "Valid Votes Cast for Political Parties by Territorial Division". The Election to the National Council of the Slovak Republic—29th February 2020. Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 1 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  16. 1 2 Nordsieck, Wolfram (2023). "Slovakia". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  17. ↑ Daniel Matthews-Ferrero; Patrik Fritz; Robert Steenland (24 April 2019). "EU country briefing: Slovakia". EURACTIV. 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.
  18. ↑ "The Capitals: Präsidentinnen, Klimademonstrationen, Homophobie". EURACTIV. 18 March 2019. Die Anwältin Čaputová von der liberalen Partei „Fortschrittliche Slowakei" wäre im Falle eines Sieges die erste Frau im Präsidentenamt des Landes.
  19. 1 2 3 "Der globale Stresstest 2020". Der Spiegel. 31 December 2019. 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.
  20. 1 2 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).
  21. ↑ Lang, Kai-Olaf; Walther, Eva-Maria (27 February 2020). "Slowakei: Neuanfang mit Unbekannten". German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
  22. ↑ Teraz.sk (11 November 2018). "Hnutie Progresívne Slovensko sa stalo členom liberálnej ALDE". TERAZ.sk.
  23. 1 2 3 Müller, Peter; Reiermann, Christian (14 March 2018). "Macron Eyes Expanding His Movement Across Europe". Der Spiegel. And in Slovakia, a new left-leaning economic liberal party called Progressive Slovakia was founded last year based on the En Marche! model.
  24. 1 2 3 Michael Rossi (14 June 2019). "Slovakia's 'progressive turn' is a rejection of corruption – not a stand against populism". London School of Economics. 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.
  25. ↑ "Presidential Elections in Slovakia". Transform Europe. 24 May 2019. Zuzana Čaputová, the candidate of the non-parliamentary neoliberal party 'Progressive Slovakia', has won the second round of presidential elections with 58% of votes.
  26. ↑ "PS predstavilo návrhy, ktorými chce zabrániť odchodu mladých zo SR". spravy.pravda.sk (in Slovak). 2023-05-23. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  27. ↑ "Ursula von der Leyen: Parliament vote puts EU politics to the test". EURACTIV. 15 July 2019. MEP Martin Hojsík, from the centrist Progressive Slovakia-Renew Europe, said VDL's views on the climate and biodiversity were optimistic.
  28. ↑ Marianne Kneuer; Darina Malová; Frank Bönker (2022). "Slovakia Report" (PDF). Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  29. ↑ Rohac, Dalibor (11 March 2019). "A Rebuke for Populism?". The American Interest. 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.
  30. ↑ "Kto je kto. Průvodce slovenskými politickými stranami". ct24.ceskatelevize.cz (in Czech). 1 March 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  31. ↑ Morway, Peter (20 January 2018). "Slovensko asi konečne má demokratickú ľavicovú stranu. Otázka je, či má dosť demokratických ľavicových voličov". Denník N.
  32. ↑ "Aká je ľavica na Slovensku? Od exkomunistov po Fica a Progresívne Slovensko". aktuality.sk (in Slovak). 4 June 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  33. 1 2 3 Sliz, Martin (19 May 2021). "Vzniká priestor pre novú politickú silu? Rast Hlasu sa zastavil, progresívci sa viac vyhraňujú". Aktuality.sk.
  34. ↑ Mikušovič, Dušan (26 January 2020). "Focus: OĽaNO dobieha Kisku a Trubana, Kotleba má taký pomer mladých ako PS/Spolu". Denník N.
  35. ↑ Hajčáková, Daniela (15 November 2022). "PS je na vrchole. Pätinu voličov dodalo OĽaNO, teraz nasáva hlasy aj od SaS". SME.
  36. ↑ Marcišiak, Marcel (25 January 2022). "Michal Šimečka z PS: Zo spolupráce vylučujeme Smer, Hlas a extrémistov, problém je aj Matovič s Kollárom". TVNOVINY.sk.
  37. ↑ "Home | Martin HOJSÍK | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. 27 January 1977. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  38. ↑ "Home | Michal ŠIMEČKA | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. 10 May 1984. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  39. ↑ "Four new member parties join the ALDE Party".
  40. ↑ "CoR Members Page".
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