The Slovak Parliament dismissed opposition leader Michal Šimečka from his role as deputy speaker, with 76 MPs voting for his removal in a secret ballot, amidst accusations from Prime Minister Robert Fico's ruling coalition that Šimečka and his family misused state subsidies. Šimečka characterized the dismissal as a politically motivated attack on democratic standards, asserting his innocence against claims linking him to the attempted assassination of Fico and alleging corruption within his family. Fico defended the decision, stating that Šimečka had abused his position by organizing protests against funding cuts to organizations connected to him. The political climate in Slovakia has become increasingly polarized, with tensions heightened following Fico's shooting incident earlier in the year. The ruling coalition is accused of undermining the rule of law as opposition parties claim these actions are intended to distract from broader governmental issues. Šimečka, who leads Progressive Slovakia, vowed to continue opposing Fico's administration despite his removal from the parliamentary post.