A growing number of Slovaks fear for the future, with nearly half expecting their living conditions to worsen over the next year, according to a March 2025 survey by Ipsos for the Martin Filko Institute. The pessimism is fueled in part by household financial concerns.
Over 80% of opposition voters and 78% of Hlas supporters anticipate rising expenses—along with 63% of Smer voters. The difference between government and opposition voters lies mainly in the expected scale of cost increases.
Only about a third of respondents expect their income to grow, while most foresee it staying the same. Among the self-employed, 44% expect earnings to drop.
While nearly 60% say they can meet their basic needs, only 29% manage to save. More than half would struggle with an unexpected €1,000 expense. The risk is especially high among single parents (89%) and those caring for elderly or disabled individuals (68%).
The survey was conducted from March 17 to 21, 2025, on a representative sample of 1,023 adults, with funding from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
Source: SITA, STVR
