Close ally of populist prime minister Robert Fico claimed 53.85% of vote, beating pro-Western opposition Ivan Korčok

Pellegrini’s victory cemented Fico’s grip on power by giving him and his allies control of major strategic posts. The new government immediately halted any arms deliveries to Ukraine.

  • Riddick3001@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    18·
    8 months ago

    This CNN article has a deeper, different take; and gives some context:

    "The campaign was marked by concerns over disinformation, with Věra Jourová, the European Commission’s top digital affairs official, saying in advance the vote would be a “test case” of how effective social media companies have been in countering Russian propaganda in Slovakia. "

    Seems there were plenty of protests as well.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      71·
      7 months ago

      The fact that so many governments seem to be mostly ok with taking a hands-off approach to regulating social media electoral disinformation and propaganda - especially when it’s clearly being coordinated and pushed by hostile actors - is baffling. Putin and Xi will happily destroy western society using our own tools… and we’re letting him do it. We’ve tried nothing, and we’re all out of ideas.

      • Riddick3001@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        4·
        7 months ago

        Interesting point. I feel that the role of disinformation as a whole, is being dowplayed in society, if that’s what you mean. At the end of the day it is people /civilians whom are being influenced and they vote or elect a government. Also, the EU is trying to cope with it, but it seems they are one of the few fighting this battle, and they aren’t always backed strongly by national governments.

        If you ask me, the mainstream culture ( media and bartalk etc) hasn’t catched up with current events as they have been unfoldind for the last decade. People still want to believe that" all is well, and maybe we don’t need to change too much".

        But many, if not most people underestimate the power of propaganda/ disinformation. It is being used because it works. It’s hard to fight it , but I 100% agree that more could and should be done.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    7·
    8 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    Čaputová, a staunch backer of neighbouring Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, announced she would not run for re-election last June after receiving death threats.

    Slovakia’s president picks the prime minister after parliamentary elections, swears in the new government and appoints constitutional court judges.

    Critics worry Slovakia under Fico will abandon its pro-western course and follow Hungary’s direction under its populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán.

    Thousands have taken to the streets across Slovakia recently to rally against Fico’s pro-Russian and other policies, including plans to amend the penal code and take control of the public media.

    Prior to the vote, Pellegrini told the AFP news agency that the European Union and Nato were “divided between those who are in favour of the continuation of the war [between Russia and Ukraine] at all costs, and those who demand the start of peace negotiations”.

    Fico was defeated at the presidential vote by Andrej Kiska 10 years ago while Čaputová claimed victory over a candidate he supported in the 2019 ballot.

    The original article contains 535 words, the summary contains 169 words. Saved 68%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!