Europe’s political landscape took a dramatic turn this week, as the Party of European Socialists (PES)—the continent’s leading center-left alliance—voted unanimously to expel the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s party, Smer, from its ranks. The decision, announced on October 17, 2025, at the PES congress in Amsterdam, marks a rare and forceful rebuke within the European political family, underscoring deepening rifts over foreign policy, democratic standards, and the rule of law.
PES Secretary-General Giacomo Filibeck did not mince words after the vote, stating, “This is a unanimous, clear message. If you belong to the PES family, you share the values that we all share.” According to the Associated Press, Filibeck further explained that Smer’s positions in recent years “sharply and deeply contradict the values and principles that our political family stands for.”
At the heart of the dispute lies Fico’s increasingly controversial political orientation. In May 2025, Fico became the only leader of a European Union country to travel to Moscow for the 80th anniversary celebrations of the defeat of Nazi Germany—an event from which the EU had called for a collective boycott, given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. This symbolic gesture, defying the bloc’s unified stance, was just the latest in a series of moves that have set Fico and his Smer party apart from their European peers.
Fico, a polarizing figure both at home and abroad, has long been known for his pro-Russian and anti-American views. He first returned to power in 2003, after his left-wing Smer party won parliamentary elections on a platform that openly challenged Western alignment. Over the years, Fico has consistently opposed EU policies toward Ukraine, and, as reported by the Associated Press, Slovakia is currently delaying the bloc’s latest package of sanctions against Russia. These actions have increasingly isolated Smer within the PES, whose other members have sought to present a united front on issues of European security and solidarity with Ukraine.
The rift did not emerge overnight. Smer’s membership in PES had already been suspended in October 2023, following its decision to form a government coalition with the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS). This move, viewed by many in Brussels as a step away from progressive values and toward nationalist populism, triggered alarm bells within the center-left alliance. According to the Slovak news agency TASR, the PES presidency at the time described Smer’s actions as “grossly and strongly contrary to the values and principles of our family.”
With the expulsion now finalized, Smer is charting a new course in European politics. Monika Beňová, a Member of the European Parliament who left the PES group on her own in October 2023, indicated that Smer is considering joining another faction. “We have had an offer from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group for a long time, which I personally prefer,” Beňová told TASR, adding that her colleagues are also discussing the possible creation of a new faction, though she remains “a little skeptical” about that prospect. The party’s working assembly has authorized its MEPs to negotiate inclusion in another existing or emerging faction in the European Parliament, as they have been acting as unclassified members since their suspension.
For Fico and his supporters, the expulsion is being framed less as a setback and more as a badge of honor. In response to the decision, Fico expressed disappointment but remained defiant. “If they want to punish us because we have defined marriage as a unique union between a man and a woman, that we said there are only two sexes and that we said that in these issues our law takes precedence over European law, if that’s why we have to be expelled, then it’s an honor for us,” Fico said, as quoted by the Associated Press. This rhetoric reflects a broader narrative that Fico has cultivated—one that pits national sovereignty and traditional values against what he portrays as overreach from Brussels.
Yet, for the PES and many of its member parties, the issue is not simply one of cultural or social policy, but of fundamental democratic principles and the integrity of the European project. The group’s leadership has consistently cited concerns about the erosion of the rule of law in Slovakia under Fico, as well as his government’s perceived coziness with authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In their view, Smer’s trajectory represents a clear and present danger to the values that underpin the European center-left: democracy, human rights, and multilateral cooperation.
This episode comes at a time when the European Union is grappling with a broader challenge: how to respond to member states accused of backsliding on democracy and the rule of law. Slovakia, along with Hungary and Poland in recent years, has found itself in the crosshairs of EU institutions and fellow member states over issues ranging from judicial independence to media freedom and minority rights. The PES’s decisive action against Smer signals a growing willingness within the European mainstream to draw red lines—even at the cost of internal division.
Meanwhile, the political fallout in Slovakia remains to be seen. Fico’s base has historically responded well to his brand of nationalist, anti-establishment messaging, and the expulsion may serve to further galvanize his supporters. At the same time, Smer’s future in the European Parliament is uncertain. While the Patriots for Europe group offers one possible home, the party’s isolation from the continent’s main center-left family could diminish its influence and ability to shape policy at the European level.
For European socialists, the decision to expel Smer is both a statement of principle and a gamble. By enforcing a strict standard on values and conduct, the PES hopes to reinforce its credibility and cohesion at a time of rising populism and geopolitical tension. Whether this move will strengthen the alliance or deepen existing fractures remains an open question. One thing is clear: the expulsion of Smer marks a watershed moment in the ongoing battle for the soul of Europe’s center-left.
As Europe continues to navigate the challenges of war, populism, and shifting political alliances, the story of Smer’s expulsion from the PES is a reminder of the high stakes—and the hard choices—that define the continent’s future.
