Slovaks believe EU institutions main foreign interference risk in European Parliament elections

4 months ago 18

Almost 40% of Slovaks believe European Union institutions are at risk of interfering in the upcoming European Parliament elections in the country, more so than the United States and Russia, according to a recent survey.

The survey commissioned by the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) and also carried out in Czechia, Hungary, and Poland shows that 39% of Slovaks believe the European institutions are the most significant risk, ahead of the United States (38%) and Russia (36%).

By comparison, in each of the other three countries surveyed, Russia is seen as the most likely meddler (Hungary 54%, Czech Republic 44%, Poland 63%).

Foreign interference in the domestic vote for European Parliament representatives and other elections is important for at least a third of respondents in Slovakia, Czechia, and Hungary and for a majority in Poland.

Those surveyed were also asked whether they would vote in the upcoming June elections – six out of 10 in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary said they would “probably” or “definitely” vote, compared to almost eight out of 10 in Poland.

If the survey’s turnout levels reflect reality in June, the 39% of Slovaks who said they would “definitely” go to the polls would already represent a significant increase in turnout compared to 2019, when less than 23% of voters cast their vote.

The survey is part of the CEDMO publication summarising disinformation narratives about upcoming elections that appeared in the public space during the first four months of 2024.

These narratives discussed, for example, the EU’s alleged forcible introduction of new foods such as insects. Others have focused on Brussels’ decision to restrict combustion engines after 2035, which some politicians have interpreted as a total ban.

Slovakia is no stranger to conspiracies and disinformation, and these have penetrated the political mainstream.

The issue of disinformation was even central to the recent Slovak presidential elections, when the pro-EU opposition candidate Ivan Korčok was accused of being ready to send Slovak soldiers to fight in Ukraine if elected.

This narrative turned out to be a fabrication, as sending troops abroad is not within the competence of the Slovak president.

[Edited by Charles Szumski/Alice Taylor]