A Model Disagreement: The Fall of the Slovak Government during the Eurozone Crisis in 2011

Abstract

In October 2011, the four ruling coalition parties in Slovakia failed to agree upon updating the European Financial Stability Facility. It was ultimately approved with the help of the opposition in exchange for an early election. This self-destructive behaviour by the ruling coalition remains a puzzle with the only available explanations merely referring to the irrationality of the domestic political elite. Our research tackles this problem using game theory. By focusing on the preferences of the key leaders, this article shows that although the fall of government was the only rational outcome, other factors beyond the scope of rational choice theory can suggest a possible explanation.

Notes

1 ‘Vote No. 21 on the 2nd Day of the 4th Session of the 5th Term of the Parliament’, National Council, Bratislava, 11 August 2010, available at: https://www.nrsr.sk/web/Default.aspx?sid=schodze/hlasovanie/hlasklub&ID =27083, accessed 21 September 2016; ‘Návrh na vyslovenie súhlasu Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky s Rámcovou zmluvou medzi Belgickým kráľovstvom, Spolkovou republikou Nemecko, Írskou republikou, Španielskym kráľovstvom, Francúzskou republikou, Talianskou republikou, Cyperskou republikou, Luxemburským veľkovojvodstvom, Maltskou republikou, Holandským kráľovstvom, Rakúskou republikou, Portugalskou republikou, Slovinskou republikou, Slovenskou republikou, Fínskou republikou, Helénskou republikou a Európskym finančným stabilizačným nástrojom’, Parliamentary Document No. 29, Resolution No. 39, adopted at the 4th session of the Parliament, 11 August 2010; ‘Návrh na vyslovenie súhlasu Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky s Veriteľskou zmluvou medzi Belgickým kráľovstvom, Spolkovou republikou Nemecko, Írskou republikou, Španielskym kráľovstvom, Francúzskou republikou, Talianskou republikou, Cyperskou republikou, Luxemburským veľkovojvodstvom, Maltskou republikou, Holandským kráľovstvom, Rakúskou republikou, Portugalskou republikou, Slovinskou republikou, Slovenskou republikou a Fínskou republikou’, Parliamentary Document No. 30, Resolution No. 40, adopted at the 4th session of the Parliament, 11 August 2010.

2 ‘Návrh na vyslovenie súhlasu Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky s Rámcovou zmluvou medzi Belgickým kráľovstvom, Spolkovou republikou Nemecko, Írskou republikou, Španielskym kráľovstvom, Francúzskou republikou, Talianskou republikou, Cyperskou republikou, Luxemburským veľkovojvodstvom, Maltskou republikou, Holandským kráľovstvom, Rakúskou republikou, Portugalskou republikou, Slovinskou republikou, Slovenskou republikou, Fínskou republikou, Helénskou republikou a Európskym finančným stabilizačným nástrojom’, Parliamentary Document No. 29, Resolution No. 39, adopted at the 4th session of the Parliament, 11 August 2010.

3 See Document No. 432 proposed by several members of parliament that was discussed and rejected on the 5th day of the 20th session of the 5th term of the parliament on 6 July 2011, available at: https://www.nrsr.sk/web/Default.aspx?sid=zakony/cpt&ZakZborID=13&CisObdobia=5&ID=432, accessed 21 September 2016.

4 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

5 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

6 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

7 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

8 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

9 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

10 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

11 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

12 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

13 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

14 Video of Richard Sulík briefing in the National Council of the Slovak Republic after the fall of government, SME, 11 October 2011, available at: http://v.sme.sk/datamm/9/22/22259/sulikende.mp4.49790.mp4, accessed 21 September 2016.

15 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

16 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

17 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

18 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

19 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

20 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

21 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

22 Interviews with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016; and with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

23 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

24 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

25 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

26 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016; and with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

27 Interview with the former speaker of parliament, Richard Sulík, Bratislava, 2 May 2016.

28 Interview with the former prime minister, Iveta Radičová, Bratislava, 22 March 2016.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matus Halas

Matus Halas, Institute of International Relations, Nerudova 3, Prague 11850, Czech Republic. Email: [email protected]