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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspondent

‘Chalk Revolution’ strikes nerve as Slovakia fears return to authoritarian past

Crowds of people at night with central poster of Robert Fico looking horrified with six sticks of chalk pointed at him
A demonstrator holds a picture depicting the prime minister, Robert Fico, being scared of chalk during a protest in Bratislava in November. Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Scrawled in chalk on the pavement near a secondary school in eastern Slovakia, the messages were short and to the point: “Enough Fico,” read one, echoing a popular anti-government slogan, while the other joked about the Slovakian prime minister providing sexual favours to Vladimir Putin.

Appearing hours before the prime minister, Robert Fico, was due to speak at the school, the messages struck a nerve. Similar comments swiftly began sprouting up across Slovakian pavements in what was labelled the “Chalk Revolution” by some and “November Chalk Wave” by others.

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