Democracy Digest: From Activism to Politics in Slovakia

But later, as a photographer and reporter, he realised his work could do some good. He started getting involved in fundraising campaigns for charities tackling poverty, cancer, education and climate change.

"I didn't grow up in a wealthy family," said Halasz, a 35-year-old activist who has put down his camera to run in Slovakia's parliamentary elections next month for the liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS) party.

"My mum was a single mother so I care deeply about social issues."

Halasz was speaking at a recent event in Bratislava co-hosted by Reporting Democracy and the Goethe Institute and titled "Why do activists go into politics?"

"I've always been attracted to people who weren't the 'winners' of 1989," he said, reflecting on his experience helping dozens of poor and marginalised families in Slovakia.

After years of working with non-governmental organisations, he grew frustrated with politicians who did not seem to grasp the scale of ordinary people's problems. The entry of far-right extremists into parliament in 2016 also alarmed him.

"That's when we decided with some friends to start Progressive Slovakia with people from activist and business circles," he said.

Tomas Halasz and other PS/Spolu candidates campaigning in eastern Slovakia. Photo: Tomas Halasz

Working in coalition with the Together (Spolu) party, Progressive Slovakia has produced a new president — environmental activist and lawyer Zuzana Caputova, elected last March — and sent four MEPs to the European Parliament.

The PS/Spolu candidate list for the February 29 general election is filled with experienced civil activists from various fields.

At the top of the list are those candidates with the biggest chance of securing seats...