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Ľuboš Blaha

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Ľuboš Blaha (born 7 December 1979) is a Slovak politician, academic, post-Marxist philosopher and political scientist. He is a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, a presidium member of the left-wing populist party Direction – Slovak Social Democracy and Robert Fico's foreign-policy aide.[1] Blaha has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2024, having previously served as an MP of the National Council of Slovakia from 2012 to 2024.

Ľuboš Blaha
MEP
Ľuboš Blaha in 2024
Member of the European Parliament for Slovakia
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 July 2024
Deputy Speaker of the National Council
In office
25 October 2023 – 25 June 2024
SpeakerPeter Pellegrini
Peter Žiga (acting)
Member of the National Council
In office
4 April 2012 – 25 June 2024
Personal details
Born (1979-12-07) 7 December 1979 (age 44)
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Political partyDirection – Social Democracy (2020–present)
Other political
affiliations		Communist Party of Slovakia (previously)
SpouseZuzana Blahová
Children3
Alma materMatej Bel University (PhDr.)
Comenius University (PhD)
Ľuboš Blaha
Academic work
Disciplinepolitical science, political philosophy, international relations theory, imperialism studies, world-systems theory, cultural studies
School or traditionNeo-Marxian economics, post-Marxism, autonomist Marxism, Marxist-Leninist anti-imperialism
Institutions
Websitewww.upv.sav.sk/phdr-lubos-blaha-phd/

Blaha's has described his political positions as left-wing populist, anti-capitalist and left-wing nationalist. He describes himself as an "anti-globalist neo-Marxist" in the tradition of Wallerstein's world-systems theory, Robinson's concept of global capitalism and Hardt and Negri's theory of Empire.[2][3]

Blaha was member of Slovakian metal band Ethereal Pandemonium where he was active as a keyboardist.[4]

Political career

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He graduated from elementary school and gymnasium in Bratislava. He studied political science at the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica. He continued his studies at the Comenius University in Bratislava (majoring in philosophy) From 2004 to 2006, Blaha worked for the Communist Party of Slovakia as the Head of its International Department.[5] Despite calling him to give up on his tenure,[6] Blaha works as a political scientist at the Institute of Political Sciences at the Slovak Academy of Sciences.[7] Blaha has been a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic since 2012.

Political views

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Political and Economic Ideologies

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He used to support modern Western Marxism, radical democratic movements, and culturally liberal positions.[8] He argues that in the era of neoliberal globalization, the Left must be more focused on socio-economic (redistribution of wealth, cooperative ownership, economic democracy) rather than cultural issues and that the social conservatism of working class in Slovakia must be accommodated.

Particularly, Blaha has praised the high progressive taxes and workers' project funds. In Slovakia, he promotes the cooperative business model such as the Spanish-Basque Mondragon Corporation.[9]

Foreign Policy

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Ľuboš Blaha is a foreign policy realist.[10] His opinions are inspired by the school of international political realism (e.g. the ideas of Kenneth Waltz and John Mearsheimer) and neo-Marxism (especially William I. Robinson, Immanuel Wallerstein and Antonio Negri). He strongly criticizes U.S. foreign policy.[11] He vehemently condemned not only the war in Iraq, but also the war in Afghanistan.[12] He also criticized the Western involvement in Libya and Syria. He is a critic of the foreign policy of Israel in relation to Palestine.[13] He advocates for the rights of Armenians in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh and criticizes Turkish foreign policy. He endorses many of the ideas of Noam Chomsky and Slavoj Zizek.[14]

Russia

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He is one of the greatest defenders of the Russian Federation in Slovakia since the Russo-Ukrainian War broke out. He is an apologist for Vladimir Putin's regime, but he perceives the crisis in Ukraine as a geopolitical clash between the West and Russia, and he rejects what he considers one-sided criticism of Russia and the growing Russophobia in Europe.[15] He has openly criticized the Sanctions against Russia and he describes Russia as a friendly nation that liberated Slovakia from fascism in 1945.[16]

European Union

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Blaha is very critical of the European Union. He considers the EU a neoliberal and elitist project, but he does not see a better alternative for Slovakia than the EU.[17] He supports the fight for a different, better, and more social Europe that will be more left-wing and democratic. In the past, he advocated the project of European basic income, he consistently promotes social economy and cooperatives, and strongly advocates for a "Social Union".

He is a sharp critic of the TTIP agreement in Slovakia.[18] He was the first Slovak Member of Parliament to visit the so-called "TTIP Reading Room". He describes the agreement as synonymous with neo-liberalism and the colonization of the European social model by American transnational corporations, and as the Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic for European Affairs he actively supports its intense scrutiny.[19]

In the 2016 election campaign, he expressed disenchantment with the EU and stressed the four issues which he sees as the main failures of Europe: Greece, Russia, TTIP and the migration crisis. There were other main themes of his election campaign in addition to the criticism of the European Union – resistance to capitalism and exploitation; resistance to Western imperialism and propaganda; fight for peace. Blaha espouses socialism, anti-capitalism, alter-globalism and moderate pacifism.[20] Thus, he is marked as a "Russian agent" by critics.[21]

Greece

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During the Greek crisis in 2015, he openly supported Syriza and defended the arguments of Alexis Tsipras and Yanis Varoufakis. After the breaking-up of Syriza and the agreement between Greece and its creditors, he further criticizes the EU for the imposition of a "neo-liberal diktat". He remains a supporter of Syriza.[22]

Migration

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Blaha opposed mandatory quota proposals during migration crisis.[23] His arguments were based on human rights (not forcing refugees to be settled in countries in which they do not want to live), on tactical thinking (Central European societies are not ready for shock solutions, they need time and sensitive approach), and on political realism (mandatory quotas in these societies, he claimed, would only favor fascists and the political far-right). He has criticized "bleeding-heart liberals" for their supposed contempt for the people who are afraid of uncontrolled migration, calling them "racists" and "xenophobes". However, he strongly refuses and condemns islamophobia and advocates for the solidarity of Slovakia with the EU, be it material, financial or personal.[24]

He is the author of the Declaration of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, in which all Slovak parliamentary groups declared their opposition to the quotas and emphasized other forms of solidarity, systemic solutions and the fight against right-wing extremists taking advantage of the migration crisis.[25]

Criticism and controversies

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International Press Institute, along with the Slovak Academy of Sciences, condemned his abusive series of Facebook posts targeting two female Slovak journalists in 2019.[26] Slovak Academy of Sciences and Academy of the Police Force condemned his posts on social media which go against the ethical code of the institutions.[27][28][29][30] Security company ESET sued Blaha to protect its reputation. Court ordered Blaha to erase false posts about ESET.[31][32] He called a special prosecutor a "young snot" (while falsely claiming the prosecutor was only 25 years old).[33][34]

In July 2020, Blaha was investigated by the Slovak Police under the law that prohibits denying or approving genocide or crimes against humanity. Blaha had posted on Facebook about "lies about murderous communists and innocent victims", claiming that the Communist regime had eliminated gangsters and helped ordinary people.[35] The investigation and the charges were dropped in September 2020.[36]

He has been repeatedly criticized for spreading hoaxes, conspiracy theories and disinformation through Facebook posts in which he attacks President Zuzana Čaputová, government politicians, several media outlets, the third sector, the Slovak Republic's foreign policy, the vaccination against COVID-19, and spreads pro-Russian disinformation narratives.

In February 2022, the Slovak Academy of Sciences called Blaha to give up on his tenure immediately.[37] However, Blaha refused to resign by saying the Academy could burn him to death, imprison and persecute him, but he will not give up his freedom of speech.[38]

Blaha was banned from Facebook for COVID-19 misinformation on 14 June 2022.[39][40]

Books

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  • Blaha, Ľuboš. Social Justice and Identity. Bratislava: VEDA, 2006. 164 p. ISBN 8022408913.
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. Back to Marx? (A Welfare State, Economic Democracy and Theories of Justice). Bratislava: VEDA, 2009. 526 p. ISBN 9788022410779.
  • Blaha, Ľuboš.The Matrix of Capitalism – An Approaching Revolution? Bratislava: VEDA, 2011. 176 p. ISBN 9788022412308.
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. The Haunts of Capitalism, or, The Beginning of a New Era?: Interviews with Critical Intellectuals Bratislava: VSSS, 2012. 384 p. ISBN 9788080614706. (with Dinka, Pavol. Žižek, Slavoj. Albert, Michael. Bělohradský, Václav. Hauser, Michael. Hrubec, Marek. Keller Jan. Krejčí, Oskar. Robinson, William I. Schweickart, David. Švihlíková, Ilona. Michelko, Roman)
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. The European Social Model – What's Next? Bratislava: VEDA, 2014. 480 p. ISBN 9788022413961.
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. The Metastases of Global Capitalism: Dialogues with Leftist Intellectuals Bratislava: Matica slovenská, 2017. 136 p. ISBN 9788081281822. (with Daubner, Peter. Chmelár, Eduard, Keller Jan. Hrubec, Marek. Peffer, Rodney. Harris, Jerry)
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. The Antiglobalist Bratislava: VEDA, 2020. 342 p. ISBN 9788022417204.
  • Vidovan, Peter (Blaha, Ľuboš). Lenin and the 21st century Bratislava: VEDA, 2021. 254 p. ISBN 9788022418942.
  • Blaha, Ľuboš. Che Bratislava: R Free Press, 2024. 367 p. ISBN 9788097409753.

References

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  1. ^ "Slovenská sociálna demokracia – Predsedníctvo". 28 October 2022.
  2. ^ BLAHA, L. Matrix kapitalizmu. Blíži sa revolúcia? Bratislava: VEDA, vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied. 2011. 176 s. ISBN 9788022412308, s. 37
  3. ^ BLAHA,Ľ. (2018): Antiglobalista. Bratislava: VEDA, vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, ISBN 978-80-224-1628-3
  4. ^ "Smerák Blaha hral v blackmetalovej kapele. Prečo má v kancelárii Marxovu bustu?". Plus 7 (in Slovak). 4 February 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. ^ »Wir lehnen Privatisierungen ab«, in: junge Welt, 17 June 2006.
  6. ^ "Vyhlásenie členov Akademickej obce Ústavu politických vied SAV" [Statement of the Members of the Academic Community of the Institute of Political Science of the Slovak Academy of Sciences] (in Slovak). 14 April 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  7. ^ "PhDr. Ľuboš BLAHA, PhD". www.upv.sav.sk. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  8. ^ Hanus, Martin; Majchrák, Jozef (31 August 2014). "Som marxista". Týždeň. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  9. ^ a.s, SITA Slovenská tlačová agentúra (14 August 2014). "Smerák Blaha chce podporiť družstvá, argumentuje tradíciou". Webnoviny.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  10. ^ Turoňová, Radka (19 October 2015). "Tak kto je tu ten rusofil vlastne? Blaha argumentuje a vyťahuje tromfy. Zase som mal pravdu, mädlí si ruky". Parlamentné listy (in Slovak). Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  11. ^ "www.parlamentnilisty.cz".
  12. ^ a.s, Petit Press. "Blaha zo Smeru: Misia v Afganistane je nemorálna, nás sa netýka". domov.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  13. ^ "STOP Asociačnej dohode EÚ s Izraelom – Ľuboš Blaha". Retrieved 17 March 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  14. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 3 June 2014.
  15. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 15 September 2014.
  16. ^ "www.topky.sk". 25 June 2014.
  17. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 24 May 2016.
  18. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 22 September 2014.
  19. ^ "www.aktualne.sk". Archived from the original on 12 May 2016.
  20. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 18 April 2012.
  21. ^ "www.sme.sk".
  22. ^ "www.aktuality.sk". 30 January 2015.
  23. ^ "www.parlamentnelisty.sk". 24 September 2015.
  24. ^ "www.europskenoviny.sk". 2 February 2016.
  25. ^ "www.nrsr.sk".
  26. ^ a.s, Petit Press (10 December 2019). "UPDATED: IPI and SAV slam Smer MP Blaha for attacks on female journalists". spectator.sme.sk. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  27. ^ "SAV sa dištancuje od statusov poslanca Ľuboša Blahu". Pravda.sk (in Slovak). 10 December 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  28. ^ "Vedenie SAV sa striktne dištancuje od statusov Blahu a vyzýva ho na odchod". Omediach.com (in Slovak). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  29. ^ "Od statusov Ľuboša Blahu sa dištancuje aj Akadémia Policajného zboru". Omediach.com (in Slovak). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  30. ^ a.s, Petit Press. "Predsedníctvo SAV sa dištancovalo od vyjadrení Blahu". domov.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  31. ^ a.s, Petit Press (8 July 2019). "Security software company Eset sues Smer MP Blaha". spectator.sme.sk. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  32. ^ "Súd nariadil Ľubošovi Blahovi zo Smeru zmazať jeho statusy na Facebooku o firme Eset". Denník N (in Slovak). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  33. ^ Šnídl, Vladimír (9 December 2019). "Blaha a dezinfoweby šíria klamstvá o prokurátorovi, ktorý dal obviniť Fica". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  34. ^ Benčík, Ján (8 December 2019). "Utáraný "sopliak" Blaha o špeciálnom prokurátorovi". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Fico dál šéfuje Směru. Po rozvratu na výsluní vytáhl kritika liberálů". iDNES.cz. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  36. ^ "Prokurátor zrušil obvinenie v súvislosti so statusom Ľ. Blahu" [Prosecutor dropped charges regarding L. Blaha's facebook status]. TASR. Teraz.sk. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  37. ^ "Štatutárni zástupcovia ústavov a centier SAV vyzývajú poslanca NR SR Ľuboša Blahu, aby okamžite ukončil svoje pôsobenie v akadémii" [Representatives of the Slovak Academy of Sciences institutes call on MP Lubos Blaha to give up on his tenure immediately] (in Slovak). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  38. ^ "SAV vyzýva Blahu, aby okamžite ukončil svoje pôsobenie v akadémii" [SAV calls on Blaha to give up on the tenure immediately] (in Slovak). 22 February 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  39. ^ "Ľuboš Blaha na Facebooku definitívne skončil, zrušili mu účet. Poznáme dôvody". 14 June 2022.
  40. ^ "Na Slovensku sa darí dezinformáciám, píše svetová spravodajská agentúra. Všimla si aj konkrétneho poslanca". Retrieved 3 September 2022.
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