Protesters Confront Slovak Ruling Party at International Women's Day Celebration

Protesters confronted politicians from Slovakia's ruling Smer-SD party and attendees at an International Women's Day celebration in the central Slovak town of Žiar nad Hronom. While some women at the event praised Prime Minister Robert Fico as a national hero who helps the country, protesters countered with chants rejecting symbolic carnation flowers traditionally given on the March 8 holiday. The demonstration highlighted ongoing political tensions in Slovakia, where Fico's social-democratic party returned to power in 2023 following parliamentary elections, despite facing criticism from opposition groups over his government's policies and approach to various issues.