Fico Restores Parliamentary Majority in Slovakia Amid Political Turmoil

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has successfully restored his parliamentary majority by negotiating with previously dissenting lawmakers, following a period of instability that threatened his coalition's governance. By appointing an unaligned lawmaker as minister for investment and development, Fico's coalition now regains its full strength of 79 seats in the 150-seat parliament, allowing for smoother legislative proceedings. This political maneuver comes amid public protests against his foreign policy, particularly his stance on military aid to Ukraine and relations with Russia, which critics argue jeopardize Slovakia's alignment with Western alliances. Fico has faced accusations from opposition activists of trying to incite unrest while maintaining that his policies aim for a pragmatic balance within the EU and NATO frameworks. The opposition, however, maintains that recent agreements are driven by self-interest rather than democratic values. The restored majority is seen as crucial for Fico as he navigates both internal coalition dynamics and external pressures from the public and opposition parties.