Explaining Eastern Europe: Slovakia's Conflicting Camps

After almost three decades of transition, Slovakia—a full-fledged member of the EU and NATO—now faces serious challenges to its liberal democracy. These includes the illiberal tendencies of those in power, clientelism, political corruption, and antiestablishment sentiment among the public. Meanwhile, the rise of right-wing extremist parties that leverage existing social problems for political gain, capitalize on the pan-European issue of migration, and cast doubt on Slovakia's foreign-policy orientation has elicited a prodemocratic response from an alliance of the country's civil society, independent media, and pro-Western politicians.