Slovakia

Although several efforts have been undertaken in Slovakia to promote a liberal democracy, the country’s democratic structures and institutional frameworks remain fragile, and the current Fico government will test their resilience.

Enhancing governance quality in Slovakia requires a shift toward evidence-based strategic policymaking. This approach should prioritize high-quality legislative processes, including thorough ex ante and ex post regulatory impact assessments. It should also uphold the rule of law, safeguard individual dignity, combat corruption, foster collaborative governance, and promote accountability and responsibility.

However, significant short-term changes are constrained by the unique national context. This limitation is explained by the theory of public economics and public choice, as articulated by scholars like Stiglitz (2000). According to this theory, political parties and leaders, driven by the imperative of reelection, tend to align with the preferences of the “median voter.”

In Slovakia, the median voter’s inclination, influenced by path-dependent factors and potentially limited educational quality, tends to advocate for extensive state interventions and a robust welfare state. This voter base tolerates corruption and harbors aversions toward immigrants, particularly those from non-European backgrounds, and LGBTQ minorities. These preferences shape the behavior of political actors, who often favor populist measures over evidence-based but potentially challenging policies.

Numerous critical institutional factors further impede progress in Slovakia. Among these, a notable challenge lies in the gap between the formal existence of accountability mechanisms and their actual efficacy (cf. Veselý 2013). Politico-administrative dynamics exacerbate this challenge, with the professional, apolitical civil service envisioned as a check on political excesses proving to be illusory. A change of government often leads to the appointment of loyal civil servants at all levels, resulting in a highly politicized and inexperienced civil service that undermines the capacity to implement effective policies (Staroňová and Rybář 2021; Gajduschek and Staroňová 2021).

Addressing systemic corruption requires a grassroots approach. Although governmental financial operations may be transparent, “transparent corruption” persists due to the populace’s high tolerance for such practices. Changing attitudes toward corruption necessitates a broader societal shift, which may be hindered by declining education quality and persistent fiscal illiteracy. (Orviská, 2003).

Veselý, A. 2013. “Accountability in Central and Eastern Europe: Concept and Reality.” International Review of Administrative Sciences 79 (2): 310-330.

Staroňová, K., and M. Rybář. 2021. “Personal or Party Roots of Civil Service Patronage? Ministerial Change Effects on the Appointments of Top Civil Servants.” Administration & Society 53 (5): 651-679.

Gajduschek, G., and K. Staroňová. 2021. “Politicization beyond the Merit-system Façade. The Intricate Relationship between Formal and Informal Institutions of the Senior Civil Service Systems in Central and Eastern Europe.” International Journal of Public Administration 46 (9): 647-658.

Orviská, M., and Hudson, J. 2003. “Tax Evasion, Civic Duty and the Law Abiding Citizen.” European Journal of Political Economy 19 (1): 83-102.