In 2024, Slovakia faced deepening political polarisation, highlighted by the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Fico, which briefly prompted calls for unity before being exploited by the ruling coalition to escalate attacks on the media and civil society. The government pushed through a controversial ‘assassination law,’ major reforms to the Penal Code and measures to tighten control over public broadcasting, cultural institutions and civil society—drawing comparisons to democratic backsliding in Hungary. Key elections saw Pellegrini win the presidency, and the opposition Progressive Slovakia (Progresívne Slovensko) narrowly outpoll Direction-Social Democracy (Smer–sociálna demokracia) in the European Parliament vote. By year's end, concerns mounted over the government's attempts to consolidate power and declining democratic standards.