About our Robert Fico news
Latest news on Robert Fico, Slovakia's prime minister and Smer party leader, covering his policies, controversies, and recovery from the May 2024 assassination attempt.
Robert Fico, Slovakia's longest-serving prime minister now in his fourth term, leads the country's government following his party Smer's victory in the 2023 election. A controversial figure in European politics, Fico returned to power in October 2023 after forming a coalition government with Voice – Social Democracy and the Slovak National Party.
Since returning to office, Fico has implemented significant changes to Slovakia's domestic and foreign policy. His government has halted military aid to Ukraine, moved to take greater control of media through reforms to public broadcasting, and passed legislation to abolish the Special Prosecutor's Office that dealt with corruption cases. These actions have sparked mass protests and drawn criticism from both domestic opposition and international observers.
In a dramatic turn of events, Fico was injured in an assassination attempt on 15 May 2024 in Handlová, Slovakia. Shot outside the city's House of Culture after a government meeting, he was hospitalized with wounds to his stomach, arms, and legs. Following emergency surgery and recovery at F.D. Roosevelt Hospital in Banská Bystrica, Fico was discharged on 30 May 2024. A 71-year-old poet named Juraj Cintula was detained as the primary suspect.
Fico's political career spans over three decades, beginning with his membership in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in 1986. After the Velvet Revolution, he joined the Party of the Democratic Left before founding his own party, Direction – Social Democracy (Smer), in 1999. His leadership has been marked by populist policies, strong criticism of Western institutions, and closer ties with Russia, particularly evident in his stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Follow our comprehensive NewsNow coverage of Robert Fico to stay informed about his government's policies, diplomatic relations, and domestic reforms. From his controversial statements on Ukraine and the EU to his government's media reforms and legal changes, our feed provides timely updates from reliable sources about one of Central Europe's most influential political figures.