Slander then spread to the country (11)
I believe the answer is:
netherlands
'the country' is the definition.
(Netherlands is an example)
'slander then spread' is the wordplay.
'spread' is an anagram indicator.
'slander'+'then'='slanderthen'
'slanderthen' with letters rearranged gives 'NETHERLANDS'.
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for netherlands that I've seen before include "European kingdom, capital Amsterdam" , "North European country" , "- Antilles includes island of Curacao" , "somewhere in Europe" , "Their government at The Hague" .)