Following months of personal disputes and policy disagreements between the leading figures of Slovakia’s four ruling parties, the country’s government has lost its majority support in parliament after the minor ruling liberal Freedom and Solidarity Party (SaS) of now former Economy Minister Richard Sulík departed the coalition and moved into opposition. The SaS’ departure comes after Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger refused an SaS ultimatum to dismiss Finance Minister (and ex-PM) Igor Matovič, the leader of the major ruling OL’aNO movement.

With the SaS having left the ruling bloc, the Heger Government will now transition into a minority cabinet as the three remaining governing parties – the major ruling OL’aNO, the centre-right Za L’udi and the right-wing Sme Rodina party – fall short of a majority in Slovakia’s fragmented parliament. The resigning SaS ministers are expected to be replaced next week.

Below, Aretera provides further insight into the collapse of Slovakia’s governing majority and its potential impact on political stability.