Life – National Party (Slovak: Život – národná strana, Život), formerly known as Christian Democracy – Life and Prosperity – Alliance for Slovakia (Slovak: Kresťanská demokracia – Život a prosperita – Aliancia za Slovensko, KDŽP), is a far-right[6]Christianpolitical party in Slovakia.
History
Logo of KDŽP before 2021
The split between the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the KDŽP was sparked by a dispute between the presidency of the party and its member Peter Molda. Molda wanted the right to life to be a condition for any future KDH participation in government, a move which was not permitted by the more liberal presidency of the KDH.[7] On the 26 April 2018, Molda attacked this move on Conservative Daily Postoj, a conservative website founded after the 2015 Slovak same-sex marriage referendum, stating "I am amazed that it is said on Christian soil that we will conclude the status quo with the Liberals again"[8] and emphasising that the KDH should be focused on "the question of life". Alojz Hlina, the president of the KDH, criticised Molda's article on 12 May,[9] with Molda announcing his intent to form a new party the same day.[10]
Alongside Tibor Pénzeš (former assistant deputy of the National Council of the Slovak Republic), Pavol Abrhan (former member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic) and Miroslav Vetrík,[11] Molda began collecting the 10,000 signatures needed to register the party.[12] By 16 January 2019, they had collected over 14,000 signatures,[13] meaning that the party was officially registered on 4 February.[14]
In September 2019, KDŽP and the Slovak National Party entered into a cooperation agreement, signing a memorandum concerning "Life and Homeland". They also expressed their support for March for Life, an anti-abortion event in Slovakia.[15] Their first contested national election was the 2020 parliamentary election, in which 3 candidates were elected on joint tickets with the neo-nazi People's Party Our Slovakia (L'SNS).[16] However, on 27 May 2020, all three members left the ĽSNS parliamentary club due to a dispute with ĽSNS National Council member Milan Mazurek.[17]
In February 2021, the party was renamed from KDŽP to Life - National Party.[18]
The ideology of the party is based around a fundamentalist, far right understanding of Christianity.[6] The party advocates for a ban on abortions, fights against LGBT+ rights, sexual education, and transgender care,[20][21] while also advocating for an increased support for families with children and financial assistance to the elderly.[22] It also calls for increased environmental protections and the introduction of language lessons to schools.[22]
The party was described as far right or fascist by mainstream media and political scientists,[23][6] however this was disputed by others, such as the liberal-leaning National Council MP Martin Klus,[24] who has since decided to run on the list of the national-conservative Sme Rodina party.[25]
