Growing alarm over escalating violence on campaign trails in weeks leading to European parliament elections
EU leaders have condemned the “cowardly” assassination attempt on the Slovakian present, Robert Fico, warning that violence has “no place” in European politics.
Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, a country which has itself experienced a wave of violent attacks on politicians in the past month, said: “I am deeply shocked by the news of the cowardly attack on Slovakian Prime Minister Fico. Violence must not exist in European politics.”
Speaking just three weeks before elections to the European parliament, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, echoed his message, condemning what she said was a “vile attack” on “both the prime minister and democracy”.
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with PM Fico and his family,” she said.
The populist leader, 59, was taken to hospital for emergency surgery after being shot outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlová, about 100 miles north-east of the capital, Bratislava, where the leader was meeting with supporters, according to reports on TA3, a Slovakian TV station.
