Freedom and Solidarity

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Freedom and Solidarity (Sloboda a Solidarita, SaS) is a centre-right liberal party in Slovakia. It was founded in 2009 by economist Richard Sulík, who helped design Slovakia’s flat tax. SaS promotes economic freedom: lower taxes, smaller government, less bureaucracy, and free-market reforms. It also supports civil liberties, including drug liberalisation, same-sex marriage, and LGBT rights.

In Europe, SaS has been seen as soft Eurosceptic in the past but remains committed to EU membership and wants reforms. In the European Parliament it has sat with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) after leaving the ALDE group. Since Branislav Gröhling became chair, the party has moved toward a more pro-European stance while pushing for reforms and less EU bureaucracy.

SaS is known for using the Internet in campaigns and for its 2009 Referendum campaign to cut the cost of politics: reducing parliament size, ending parliamentary immunity, and liberalising the media market. It has participated in Slovakia’s government at times, holding several ministerial posts and attracting attention for its economic expertise and tax policy.

Key election highlights include 22 seats in 2010, 11 seats in 2012, 21 seats in 2016, and representation in the European Parliament in 2019. After the 2023 parliamentary elections, SaS had 11 MPs in the National Council.

Overall, SaS positions itself as a blend of centrist and centre-right liberalism, with a focus on economic liberalism, civil rights, and practical reform of Slovakia and the EU.