Political Manipulation of Roma minority in Slovakia

2024.09.11.
Bott Livia
Phoenix NGO

The Roma minority and their integration into society are topics that often appear in political agendas and are exploited to spread populism, disinformation, or increase the popularity of a party. In Slovakia, there is a relatively large Roma population. Roma in Slovakia face generational problems as well as prejudices against them. Many people perceive them as dangerous groups and welfare recipients, or a burden on the state budget. These prejudices are often used by political parties.

The issue of minorities (especially the Roma issue) often becomes part of political campaigns before elections. This theme cyclically repeats and is often associated with various political agendas concerning Roma in Slovakia. Politicians often use this topic to gain support and mobilize voters.

It often happens that political parties offer solutions that are, according to their words, “guaranteed and assured,” but ultimately do not serve their purpose. On the contrary, they are used only as a tool of political propaganda and a populist tool of the political party.

The Roma Union points out that during election periods, politicians knowingly spread misleading promises in Roma communities to gain votes from the Roma population. They knowingly spread misleading information, knowing that it will attract the votes of the masses and not solve the given problems.

To begin with, let’s explain the basic concepts regarding political populism and its tools:

Political manipulation is the way people or groups influence public opinion and decision-making to achieve political power or advantages. They use various tactics such as propaganda, spreading false news, distorting information, and controlling the media. Politicians often attack the personal character of their opponents instead of addressing their arguments. For example, during election campaigns, personal attacks on candidates often appear, aiming to discredit their personality and moral integrity.

Political propaganda is a commonly used tool to influence public opinion, where political parties systematically spread one-sided information to influence the opinions and behavior of the public. During the period of the Slovak State (1939-1945), propaganda was intensively used to support the regime of Jozef Tiso and his collaboration with Nazi Germany. The media were controlled and used to spread a positive image of the Slovak State as a peaceful and prosperous country, while any critical voices were suppressed.

Fake news is a type of news used to spread false or misleading information. Fake news is often found on social media or other communication networks. If political parties label their opponents’ news as “fake news,” the visible and understandable definition between false and non-false news ceases to exist. Thus, we are talking about a situation where all information becomes fake news and vice versa (true). After the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a fake news story spread that the cathedral would be replaced by a mosque. This disinformation also spread in Slovakia and aimed to incite fear and hatred against Muslims.

Spin is the process of distorting information or events to make them appear in favor of a particular political agenda or person. For example, a political candidate may emphasize their successes and ignore their failures to gain voter support. During the protests for a decent Slovakia in 2018, some politicians tried to discredit the protesters in various ways. For example, then-Prime Minister Robert Fico and his party Smer-SD often claimed that the protests were organized and financed from abroad. This was an attempt to discredit the organizers, weaken the legitimacy of the protests, and divert attention from the demands for the investigation of the murder of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová and the fight against corruption.

The term “astroturfing” is used to describe the creation of fake public support or opposition to something. Organizations can pay people or create fake profiles on social media to create the impression that many people support or oppose a certain thing. Controlling or influencing media channels and content is another tactic. For example, governments can ban or restrict certain information to spread only preferred narratives.

Using polls, social media, and other tools to influence public perception and behavior is common practice. For example, political parties can use polls to gather information about voter preferences and tailor their campaigns.

Demonizing opponents is a tactic often used by political parties, governments, and other organizations to achieve their goals. It involves trying to present political opponents in a negative light to weaken their legitimacy and support. Political parties often use strong rhetoric to discredit their opponents. Robert Fico announced that he would propose the removal of Michal Šimečka from the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic. R. Fico claims that Šimečka abuses his position to protect the financial interests of his family, specifically the Milan Šimečka Foundation. These statements aim to weaken Šimečka’s legitimacy and support among voters.

The People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) and the Republic Movement are Slovak political parties situated in the right-wing spectrum, characterized by significant nationalism. Both parties advocate for stricter measures and restrictions in the area of social support for minority groups, while limiting access to information, manipulating facts, and ignoring the complex aspects of social problems. ĽSNS often focuses on marginalizing and demonizing minority groups in its political agenda. For these and other reasons, they are often categorized as fascist or neo-Nazi, given the various characteristics and activities associated with their operations.

ĽSNS and the Republic Movement are labeled as neo-Nazi for several reasons. Their rhetoric often includes hate speech directed against minorities, migrants, and ethnic groups, especially Roma. ĽSNS often refers to historical figures and events associated with fascism and neo-Nazism. For example, the party claims the legacy of Jozef Tiso, who was the president of the Slovak State during World War II and collaborated with Nazi Germany. The party uses symbolism and organizes activities associated with neo-Nazi and fascist movements. This includes uniforms, marches, and other public actions reminiscent of fascist practices. Their political goals include harsh measures against minorities and migrants, which align with neo-Nazi ideology. For example, ĽSNS proposes the creation of a militia to fight “gypsy crime” and restrict the rights of the LGBT community. These parties use fear and hatred as tools to mobilize and gain support among the broader population.

For example, ĽSNS tried to spread an image suggesting that unemployed Roma families receive more money monthly than employed majority families. In Slovakia, it is often repeated that Roma families abuse this system and have children to receive benefits. However, a large number of children does not significantly affect the amount of benefits. Of course, the number of children affects the amount of the benefit, but not significantly. In 2024, the benefit for a family with more than 4 children is only 76.80 euros higher than the benefit for a family with less than 4 children. A similar pattern was also present in previous years. However, this party is not only known for disinformation but also for its hateful attitudes. For example, it labels Roma as “parasites,” a term used mainly during Nazi Germany and its satellites. The tactic they used here is, as we have already mentioned, “demonizing opponents.” In this case, the ĽSNS party tried to ridicule Roma families and create a negative image of them.

Members of this party later launched a public campaign during which they visited Roma settlements with the aim of “cleaning up” and solving problems. The party organized demonstrations and marches near Roma settlements, often with the aim of intimidating local residents and presenting themselves as protectors of “order.” They had electoral success in those regions among the non-Roma part of society where there is a larger number of Roma settlements. However, it is important to realize that such tactics can have long-term consequences and influence public opinion, create polarization, and create tension between the majority and minority, which can later lead to physical violence. Ultimately, it can be assumed that such political tactics can affect the entire democratic process in Slovakia.

In addition to political parties, disinformation is also spread by various alternative media, which are often connected to these political parties. If we analyze the article “The low educational level of a large part of Gypsy youth is primarily the result of the irresponsible behavior of their parents” by PhDr. Štefan Surmánek from the portal “Denník Republika,” we will notice several factors we have written about so far. The article claims that the low educational level of Roma youth is mainly the result of the irresponsible behavior of their parents. This is about blaming a certain group of people (in this case, the parents of Roma youth) for problems while ignoring the complex factors that influence the situation. One specific factor that can affect the educational level of Roma youth is the social and economic situation. The Roma community often faces poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education. These factors can significantly affect the educational opportunities and development of young people. The article further generalizes negative traits to the entire Roma community and does not take into account systemic problems such as poverty, discrimination, segregation, and physical violence, which contribute to educational disparities. Such actions within a political agenda can lead to political propaganda or the intentional spread of disinformation. The role of politicians is also to represent all citizens without distinction, with an emphasis on eliminating discrimination and helping the most vulnerable, and not to support their discrimination and use them for political purposes.