The Party of European Socialists has voted to permanently kick out Slovakia’s Smer party, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, according to two officials with knowledge of the decision.

The Socialist party’s leadership took the unanimous decision in a meeting last Thursday, according to the officials, who were granted anonymity to speak freely about internal deliberations. The decision will have to be ratified at a meeting in Amsterdam between Oct. 16 and 18. 

The decision comes after Fico shook Vladimir Putin’s hand in Moscow in May ahead of Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations. Fico visited Beijing in the first week of September, where he met with China’s Xi Jinping and Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko. 

Smer’s membership in the European Socialists was suspended in October 2023, along with its ally party Hlas (the latter will remain suspended, but not yet expelled, the officials said).

Fico has been increasingly at odds with the European Socialists, slowing down the adoption of sanctions against Russia and standing accused of undermining the rule of law in Bratislava.

Smer’s EU lawmakers and the party’s press office did not reply to requests for comment. The European Socialists also did not reply to a request for comment.