Polarization, a double-edged sword that is beginning to stalk Europe. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the attempted assassination of Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia. Five shots that raised alarm bells and left an entire country in suspense that saw how the war between the left and the right had gone too far. The Slovak leader himself predicted a little over a month ago that what happened this Wednesday is not the result of chance: “I am waiting for this frustration, so intensely deepened by the Dennikom channel, the SME newspaper or the Aktuality portal, to become the murder of one of the government’s main politicians. And I am not exaggerating one millimeter.”

A premonition that hid the umpteenth attempt to set fire to and divide society by the politician. An intentional fragmentation of Slovak society whose standard bearer has been Fico, who succumbed to demagoguery and agitation as fertilizer to garner votes. A discourse that is permeating Europe and that there are already several parties that have embraced polarization as their fetish tool to achieve the support of the population and even more by taking advantage of the crisis of life, inequalities and the various war conflicts both in Europe, like in the middle east.

Agitating masses already dissatisfied with the system can win votes, but it can also easily get out of hand, which translates into violence. At the beginning of 2024, Zuzana Caputovapresident of Slovakia, announced her refuses to run in the next elections for one reason only: fear. After her residence was raided, the politician announced that she was leaving her seat vacant for the elections, despite her being her favorite in the polls. This afternoon she herself called on her European counterparts to “calm down society.”

The climate of division, the increase in hate speech, the constant search by parties to divide citizens and the return to the arena of populism in practically all countries of the European Union, are the ideal ingredients for a broth of crop that threatens democracy. Given the uncertain future that looms not only in Slovakia, but throughout Europe and the exponential increase in cases of political violence, the great powers within the continent have come out to say enough and ask that these types of speeches that only fan the flames of polarization be nipped in the bud.

Polarization translates into violence

”This violates the very idea of ​​democracy. In democracy we can disagree, but violence is absolutely unacceptable”, said Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. And there are already several recorded cases of political violence resulting from a radicalized message. In Germany, incidents of this nature have multiplied in recent weeks. On May 4, the main candidate of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the European elections for the state of Saxony, Matthias Eckewas hospitalized after being object of attack by a group of radicals of the extreme right while hanging posters for his candidacy in which, literally, they broke his face.

It is not the only case of attacks by far-right ultras on European politicians. Furthermore, European Social Democrats, Greens, Liberals and the Left denounced in the European Commission the recent and brutal attack against MEP Matthias Ecke, MP Kai Gehring and other political families, the acts of violence committed by supporters of the extreme right in Stockholm, the attacks against party headquarters in Spain and the attacks against politicians’ homes in Belgium.

Yesterday’s shooting is reminiscent of other attempted assassinations of presidents and prime ministers. The most dramatic and of the most recent, the assassination of Shinzo Abe, former Japanese prime minister. He was also shot in the middle of the street, during a campaign event. In Europe The most recent and symbolic assassination was that of Olof Palme. The father of social democracy and Swedish prime minister was shot twice, which ended his life when he was leaving the cinema with his wife without an escort.

Is the situation of political violence in Europe so worrying? As Ruth Ferrero, professor of Political Science at the Complutense Institute of International Studies, explained to laSexta, the situation in the EU encourages this type of incident: “We have to worry, but before this episode. No one is exempt from being attacked in this highly tense and politically polarized context. the political class itself is responsible and the exacerbation of some tensions by some media“.

Politicians are not the only ones responsible

The problem not only lies in the political parties, but also directly affects the media. Live, the presenter of a local radio station in Flanders has called for an attack against the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo: “To all those who consider shooting Alexander De Croo, but do not dare to do so due to the security surrounding to that guy, they see that it is possible to shoot a prime minister. So I would say, go ahead.”

The station itself has declared that it was an allegation in a joking tone and that it has already cost the presenter a suspension and a complaint from Alexandre de Croo himself. And he is not the only one. This afternoon Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also denounces threats. Sharing the message that a user has dedicated to you on their social networks. “The Slovaks have given us an example of what to do with Donald Tusk.”

Europe fears that after the attack against Fico a wave of political violence will awaken. From Brussels they warn: We must have zero tolerance against all types of violence or hate speech. A climate of tension that the Slovak Prime Minister himself already warned about a few weeks ago. A fear that spreads throughout Europe and that after the attack against Robert Fico has gone from words and demagogic speeches to shootings and attacks on European politicians.