Slovak Opposition Party SaS Enlists Former Officials for Campaign Events Despite Internal Criticisms

Slovakia's opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party is bringing prominent former officials to campaign events as it seeks to rebuild support ahead of upcoming elections. The party has featured figures like former finance minister Ivan Mikloš and political analyst Michal Vašečka at public meetings, while former central bank governor Jozef Mihál is expected to help develop the party's program. However, both Mikloš and Mihál have ruled out running as candidates for SaS in the next elections. The campaign strategy comes amid internal party tensions, with SaS deputy leader Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová reportedly describing the party as a "menopausal project" during some of these public events. SaS, a liberal party that was part of previous center-right governments, has struggled to maintain relevance since losing parliamentary representation in the 2023 elections won by the current ruling coalition led by Robert Fico's Smer-SD party.