Revolt in Smer

Several Smer party cells in Eastern Slovakia have called for the resignation of Robert Fico and Robert Kaliňák, and declared their support for Peter Pellegrini. “We wish not to be linked to the individual failures of top party officials,“ they say. This is the very first open criticism by party cells in Smer’s 20-year history, and it follows Smer’s first loss in party elections since 2004. Fico has made sure his position in the party leadership is very strong, while Pellegrini’s power base within the party is non-existent. A few dissatisfied party members (Bohumil Hanzel, Fedor Flašík, Renáta Kolenčíková, Anton Martvoň, Boris Zala and Marek Maďarič) have been forced to leave the party in the past.

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