Calls grow in Slovakia for political parties to suspend campaigns EU electionsJust three weeks later, an assassination attempt on the prime minister occurred in this deeply polarized country.
Slovakia’s president-elect Peter Pellegrini and others said the step was necessary to avoid further inflammatory political rhetoric. Since the incident, the situation has further escalated The shooting left Prime Minister Robert Fico seriously injured. At least one party, the opposition Slovak Progress Party, said it would immediately suspend its campaign to help “end the escalating attacks and accusations.”
Local news media reported that another party, the Christian Democratic Movement, had also suspended its campaign.
It’s unclear how long the suspension will last or what it means for Slovakia’s participation in EU elections, which happen every five years. Voters across the EU will elect 720 representatives to the European Parliament, with voting scheduled to take place in all 27 EU member states from June 6 to 9. Slovak voters are scheduled to vote on June 8.
Candidates in EU elections mostly come from established national parties, so voters tend to be familiar with their agenda. Therefore, as long as campaigning does resume and elections take place as planned, the temporary suspension of campaigning will not necessarily affect the ability of Slovak voters to decide who to support.
Officials in the European Parliament and European Commission did not respond to requests for comment on calls to suspend the campaign and whether it would have an impact on the EU vote.
National electoral authorities handle voting and results are administered locally. The number of MEPs each country elects depends on the size of its population. Germany is the largest country and has the most MPs – 96 in total. Much smaller Slovakia will elect 15 members of the European Parliament.
