Progressive Slovakia Leads Smer in Latest Poll, Hungarian Alliance Hovers at Parliamentary Threshold

Slovakia's ruling opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party leads the country's most recent opinion poll, ahead of the incumbent Smer-SD party, according to new survey data from polling agency Ipsos. Eight parties would currently secure seats in the National Council, Slovakia's parliament, if elections were held now. The ethnic Hungarian minority party Aliancia remains just at or below the 5% threshold required for parliamentary entry, placing its representation in doubt. Progressive Slovakia is a liberal, pro-European party that leads the parliamentary opposition, while Smer-SD is the dominant party in the current ruling coalition, led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico and described as a left-nationalist grouping that has steered Slovakia toward a more Eurosceptic and pro-Russian foreign policy stance. The polling results are significant as they reflect continued public support for the opposition amid ongoing political tensions between the Fico government and pro-EU forces in Slovak society.