#Robert #Fico #coalition #fulfill #important #promised #Petr #Bárdys #comment
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A strong state!
The most powerful phrase used across the parties of the governing coalition. It is such a powerful status that Peter Pellegrini promoted it in the campaign before the 2023 early elections above anything that could distinguish Hlas from Smer. Because a strong state is the pillar of Robert Fico’s political rhetoric.
He offered a vision of a strong state capable of regulating a large part of social life, including its economic sphere, already in the party program “Why are we here!” in 1999.
It contains references to what shaped the political rhetoric of this party and its leaders, in fact almost its entire existence: “The direction wants order, (…) stability. The direction arises as a natural result of developments after November 1989, which caused public dissatisfaction with the disorder in economic and public affairs…”
And let’s not forget the burnt-out pre-election campaign with washing powder “Master of Order”, in which Fico appeared.
Order and stability.
Although the government has pushed for an increase in the 13th pension, it has not said where it will take it, whether we have followed the Greek path and limited the benefits of early retirement.
The question hangs in the air as to whether they will abolish or reduce the tax credit for children. And a separate chapter is the second pension pillar, where Fico’s government has already decided to rob savers of their future pension.
Igor Matovič’s pro-family package was just an overpriced populist gesture that caused the government to fall, but if the government cuts it – and there are reports from the government that it will cut – then those who vote for left-wing populists promising a strong state that cares about them will feel it will take care.
Already today, the topic is increasing the prices of cigarettes and sugary drinks.
Or talk about raising consumption taxes, which Peter Pellegrini rebuffed in his campaign for the presidency by saying that nothing like that is on the table…
They are talking about a growth of two to three percentage points, which will be felt by all residents, the most, of course, the economically weakest.
Yes, even those who vote for a strong welfare state.
If Fico promises savings in the state administration, where he sees up to 30 percent of people who can be “cut”, then this should be seen primarily as a place for revenge and settling accounts, but also officials who vote for a strong social state.
One who takes care of them as they serve him.
Fico’s government must save. Next year they have to put together 1.4 billion euros. They are currently at 100 million, which is not nearly enough. Cuts are therefore necessary and necessary.
They are just not in line with the left-wing populism of the governing parties, which promised a state that would take care of their voters. They will have to wait for that, if they actually ever get to see it.
The chairman of Smer perceives a strong state as some form of state market economy, in which the rule of law and freedom are only obstacles. A complication. After all, there is a strong state that decides on everything, controls, dictates, brings the best solutions. And the goal is social harmony and cohesion for the general welfare. For any price.
It is actually based on a very simple equation – when there is social harmony in the country, then there is also peace in the country. When there is peace, you can plan and do systematically. And whoever stands in the way must be destroyed, defamed. For the sake of this goal, we can also lie or rant – about liberals, progressives, the official government, the president, Matovič, the EU/Brussels, Radič’s government…
In one of the paragraphs of the Direction program from the year 1998 they set the establishment of order, justice and stability as their primary goal and subsequently add that “only then can political approaches respecting the democratic pluralist system influence real life”.
Elsewhere, Smer declares that it considers such political approaches a prerogative of a stable country and not a prerequisite for it: “Smer will use all legitimate means to support and in practice enforce its primary goal – to establish order, justice and stability.”
Thus, since its inception, Smer had in its program the support of the idea of a strong rule of law as a tool for establishing order, justice and stability. He is aware of the fundamental importance of categories such as duty, responsibility and authority.
He perceives the state as a powerful actor in social life, bringing order and stability. Sociologist Matúš Krištofik writesthat Smer understands the democratic state as “a real means by which citizens adjust the conflicting relations between economic modernization, cultural and historical heritage and respect for political, economic and social rights”.
The idol in the form of a strong state was the basic common framework of contemporary government.
We could find the overlap of this idea through the care of residents across its voters.
Just as long as Fico and his coalition promised a strong state that would bring economic prosperity and well-being for all (their voters), this is not happening and will not happen for some time.
It is even possible that Fico’s Slovakia will be a weaker welfare state than it was under Ódor, Heger and Matovič or the previous Smer governments – if that is what we call all those economic packages and atomic bombs bringing rapid growth in the incomes of people in the social system, the economically weaker, mothers and others.
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