Irena Bihariová

Irena Bihariová (born 15 September 1980) is a Slovak lawyer and politician. She was the leader of Progressive Slovakia from June 2020 to May 2022. In 2022, a meeting of the Progressive Slovakia party took place, where the only candidate, Michal Šimečka, ran. He was elected chairman of the Party and Irena Bihariová was elected vice-president of the Party.^[1]

Irena Bihariová
Member of the National Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 October 2023
Chair of the Progressive Slovakia
In office 6 June 2020 – 7 May 2022
Preceded by	Michal Truban
Succeeded by	Michal Šimečka
Personal details
Born	(1980-09-15) 15 September 1980 (age 44) Trnava, Czechoslovakia
Political party	Progressive Slovakia
Alma mater	Comenius University

Early life

Bihariová attended Faculty of Law at Comenius University in Bratislava, receiving a master's degree in 2009.^[2] She identifies herself as Romani, born in an "assimilated family".^[3][4]

Since 2009, Bihariová has been leader the association People against Racism.^[5] On 29 July 2013, she became vice-chairwoman of the Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance at the Ministry of the Interior. She was elected for the "National Strategy for the Protection and Support of Human Rights in Slovakia".^[6]

Political career

On 8 May 2019, Bihariová was elected vice president of Progressive Slovakia.^[7] She finished fourth place during the February 2020 parliamentary elections with 46,798 votes.^[8]

On 4 March 2020, Bihariová confirmed that she would run for party chairwoman.^[9] During the party congress on 6 June, Bihariová defeated Michal Truban.^[10] According to her, she was trying to enforce a "fragile balance between political idealism and pragmatism".^[11]

During the 2023 Slovak parliamentary election, she was elected as a member of the Progressive Slovakia.^[12]