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National Populism in Slovakia

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National Populism in Slovakia INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS The Institute for Public Affairs (Inštitút pre verejné otázky), is an independent public policy research institute founded in February 1997, and located in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic. The Institute’s mission is: NATIONAL POPULISM • to analyze social, political, economic, foreign policy, legal, cultural, and other issues of public interest; IN SLOVAKIA • to conduct research on public policies and their consequences, to publish and to disseminate widely its findings, and to make practical recommendations for improved government policy; Grigorij Mesežnikov • to study, document, and help to promote Slovakia’s transition to a free, democratic, and open society; Oľga Gyárfášová • to stimulate public debate on important issues through lectures, seminars, workshops, and roundtables; • to promote the active involvement of informed citizens in public life. The research program of the Institute for Public Affairs is conducted by a core staff of resident scholars and policy analysts, augmented by non-resident policy experts from a wide range of Slovak institutions. The Institute publishes books and monographs. Its analysts also write frequently for Slovak and international newspapers, magazines, and academic journals; lecture before academic and professional audiences; and appear on television and radio public affairs programs. IVO publications and additional information about the Institute may be found at our World Wide Web site, www.ivo.sk. FOUNDERS Martin Bútora, Zora Bútorová, František Šebej, Grigorij Mesežnikov, Péter Hunčík, Oľga Gyárfašová, Vladimír Krivý, Ivan Mikloš BOARD OF TRUSTEES Grigorij Mesežnikov (chairman), Ingrid Brocková, Martin Bútora, Oľga Gyárfašová, Péter Hunčík, Vladimír Krivý, Katarína Mathernová, Igor Rintel, Filip Vagač HONORARY PRESIDENT Martin Bútora PRESIDENT Grigorij Mesežnikov Baštová 5 811 03 Bratislava Slovak Republic 7 Telephone: (421-2) 54 43 40 30, 54 43 40 31 3 1 Fax: (421-2) 54 43 40 41 5 4 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: http: //www.ivo.sk 3 9 8 0 8 8 ISBN: 978-80-89345-13-7 7 ISBN 80-89345-13-7 EAN: 9788089345137 9 2008 12 narodny populizmus engl obalka.indd 1 12.1.2009 10:04:22 Edition Working Papers NATIONAL POPULISM IN SLOVAKIA Grigorij Mesežnikov Oľga Gyárfášová Bratislava 2008 This publication appears thanks to the support of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (project 06/2008 National Populism vs. Intercultural Dialogue in Slovakia: Political Factors and Values) NATIONAL POPULISM IN SLOVAKIA Edition WORKING PAPERS Grigorij Mesežnikov Oľga Gyárfášová Translated by Daniel Borský Typeset by Marián Velšic ISBN 978-80-89345-13-7 EAN 9788089345137 © IVO – Institute for Public Affairs, Bratislava 2008 CONTENT Foreword ................................................................................................................................ 5 Grigorij Mesežnikov National populism in Slovakia: actors, issues, strategies 1. Social and historical context............................................................................................... 7 2. Actors.................................................................................................................................. 9 3. Issues relevant to the national-populist appeal.................................................................... 12 3.1. Character of the state................................................................................................... 13 3.2. Interpretation of national history................................................................................. 15 3.3. Issues related to ethnic minorities............................................................................... 18 3.3.1. Relations to ethnic Hungarians......................................................................... 19 3.3.2. Perception of minority rights’ implementation................................................. 21 3.3.3. Perception of the issue of Slovak-Hungarian historic reconciliation .............. 23 3.3.4. Relations to political representation of ethnic Hungarians.............................. 25 3.3.5. Attitudes to bilateral Slovak-Hungarian relations............................................ 28 3.3.6. Relations to Romany ethnic minority ............................................................... 30 4. Conclusion........................................................................................................................... 32 Oľga Gyárfášová National populism in Slovakia: political attitudes and views of the public Introduction............................................................................................................................. 35 1. Trends in public opinion………......................................................................................... 35 1.1. Comeback of identity politics ..................................................................................... 35 1.2. Populism for the good times ....................................................................................... 38 1.3. Attitudes toward minorities and ‘the others’............................................................... 40 1.4. Views regarding mutual Slovak-Hungarian relations ................................................ 42 1.5. Decline in social capital and participation ................................................................. 44 2. Main characteristics of the Smer-SD supporters ............................................................... 45 2.1. Accentuating social problems despite not being economic ‘losers’........................... 45 2.2. Opinion profile ........................................................................................................... 47 2.3. Leader personifying his party .................................................................................... 48 3. Conclusion........................................................................................................................... 49 References............................................................................................................................... 50 Authors.................................................................................................................................... 51 Grigorij Mesežnikov – Oľga Gyárfášová | National populism in Slovakia FOREWORD The rise of populism in Central Europe since accession to the European Union is one of the most frequently discussed social phenomena in that region. Today, the activities of populist actors challenge established liberal-democratic regimes. Rising populism creates new and deepens existing social problems. In some post-communist countries, populist political forces are now part of the party system’s mainstream. In Slovakia, for example, populists enjoy a dominant position in recent national politics. For quite some time now, Slovak populist parties have effectively appealed to a substantial segment of the population. Electoral success has provided the means for populist parties to pursue their own program and political goals in most areas of public life. One of the principal tools used by Slovak populist politicians is exploiting issues of ethno-national character such as ethnic identity, language, or the relations between members of various ethnic communities. The analysis of national populism concentrates on the form of populism that uses national- ism as one of its vehicles to mass appeal. The analysis examines the activities of political ac- tors, their political argumentation, and the strategies they employ to mobilize the public. Fur- ther analysis identifies the issues used to appeal to voters and seeks to understand the socio- cultural background of populist politics, including people’s views regarding Slovak society’s development with issues such as the status of ethnic minorities, minority policy, interethnic relations, issues related to cultural, ethnic and language identity, etc. The publication National Populism in Slovakia is the output of a project called National Populism vs. Intercultural Dialogue in Slovakia: Political Factors and Values that was car- ried out in 2008 by the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) and financially supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, HBS). Partial research findings of the pro- ject were presented during an international seminar jointly organized by the IVO and the HBS in Bratislava on November 7, 2008. The project is a part of IVO research activities aimed at analyzing factors determining the success of populist forces in Slovakia and other Central and Eastern European countries. The publication National Populism in Slovakia represents continuation of two IVO publications published in recent years, specifically Democracy and Populism in Central Europe: The Visegrad Elections and Their Aftermath (edited by Martin Bútora, Oľga Gyárfášová, Grigorij Mesežnikov and Thomas W. Skladony, 2007) and Populist Politics and Liberal Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe (edited by Grigorij Mesežnikov, Oľga Gyárfášová and Daniel Smilov, 2008). The authors of the publication would like to express their gratitude to Eva van de Rakt, Di- rector of the HBS office in Prague for her support, assistance, and invaluable advice during the project’s implementation phase. 5 Grigorij Mesežnikov – Oľga Gyárfášová | National populism in Slovakia Grigorij Mesežnikov NATIONAL POPULISM IN SLOVAKIA: ACTORS, ISSUES, STRATEGIES 1. SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT In recent years, political actors in Slovakia began
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