When two do the same, it is never the same: identification of the causes of the fragmentation of the civil society mobilization campaign before the parliamentary snap elections in Slovakia 2023

The parliamentary snap elections in Slovakia in September 2023 were attributed a historic role in the fight for the character of the country, its values, but also foreign policy orientation. The societal landscape was marked by significant fragmentation along various conflict lines, encompassing support for Ukraine against Russia, government actions during the pandemic, value and human rights concerns, and issues related to the rule of law. Amid this challenging scenario, diverse actors from different sectors and political spectrums recognized the imperative of mobilizing the population to enhance electoral participation. Civil society emerged as a crucial actor, perceiving not only a threat to its advocated values but also to its very existence. Notably, the rhetoric of representatives from various political parties hinted at or explicitly expressed intentions to emulate Viktor Orbán's approach towards civil society in Hungary. Despite a shared concern for values, civil society failed to generate a unified mobilization campaign. Fragmentation became apparent along the centre-periphery axis, with peripheral civil society rejecting the proposed mobilization campaign model from the centre and devising its own strategy. This paper aims to identify the causes of the mobilization campaign's fragmentation, preceding the snap parliamentary elections in Slovakia in 2023, led by civil society. Employing a process tracing case-study methodology, the research aims to pinpoint the mechanisms behind the fragmentation. Semi-structured interviews with key figures from civil society in Slovakia, representing both the centre (Bratislava) and the periphery (Banská Bystrica), will be conducted. These interviews will not only unveil immediate triggers for divergent approaches but also explore long-term factors limiting civil society's ability to bridge differences between the capital and the rest of the republic. The research contributes to broadening the discourse on centre-periphery relations, particularly in a scenario where actors from both regions declare identical values and goals yet yield different outcomes. By elucidating the causes of disparities between the centre and the periphery, the study aims to provide insights crucial for addressing regional inequalities and reinforcing democratic values, as well as supporting human rights at the local and regional levels.