Russia and Ukraine a key level of competition between two main candidates who went into the election neck and neck.
Voters in Slovakia went to the polls to choose a brand new president on Saturday, selecting between pro-Western opposition candidate Ivan Korcok and Peter Pellegrini operating for the governing nationalist left coalition.
Polls closed at 10pm native time (20:00 GMT). Preliminary projections are anticipated quickly, with official outcomes meant to trickle in in a single day.
It was a decent race for the largely ceremonial publish, based on remaining opinion polls within the nation of 5.4 million folks.
Korcok received the primary spherical of voting final month after receiving 42.5 p.c of the votes, whereas Pellegrini completed second with 37 p.c. The 2 squared off in a decisive second spherical as neither received the minimal 50 p.c on the time.
Korcok, 60, served as Slovakia’s overseas minister in 2020-2022, and earlier than that because the ambassador to the USA and Germany. He was additionally the nation’s envoy to NATO and the European Union. Korcok firmly helps Slovakia’s EU and NATO memberships.
In the meantime, Pellegrini, 48, is a detailed ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico who is understood for his pro-Russian insurance policies.
Pellegrini heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) celebration – that completed third in parliamentary elections final yr – and favours a powerful position for the state. His celebration joined a governing coalition with Fico’s left-wing Smer (Route) celebration and the ultranationalist Slovak Nationwide Celebration.
Fico’s authorities, upon coming to energy in September, instantly halted arms deliveries to Ukraine, prompting nationwide protests in opposition to its pro-Russian stance and several other different insurance policies.
Pellegrini presently serves as Parliament speaker and his victory would cement Fico’s energy by giving him and his allies management of strategic posts.
Few govt powers
Whereas Slovak presidents should not have many govt powers, they’ll veto legal guidelines or problem them within the constitutional court docket. In addition they nominate constitutional court docket judges, who might grow to be vital within the political strife over the destiny of Fico’s reforms, which might dramatically ease punishments for corruption.
Korcok has targeted on making clear he doesn’t need Fico and his coalition to have govt positions within the authorities, and likewise on talking out in opposition to an anti-Western coverage shift by Fico.
“I wish to be at the start of a course of which might imply enchancment within the lifetime of our folks, and undoubtedly clarify the place Slovakia belongs,” Korcok mentioned after voting in Senec, 35km (20 miles) northeast of Bratislava.
Pellegrini has tried to painting Korcok as a warmonger for his help for arming Ukraine and steered he might take Slovak troops into the struggle – which Korcok has denied.
However Pellegrini has been seen as extra average than Fico. “This isn’t in regards to the future course of overseas coverage, I’m additionally a assure, like the opposite candidate, that we’ll proceed to be a powerful member of the EU and NATO,” he mentioned after voting in Rovinka on the outskirts of the capital.
In the meantime, outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a human rights lawyer who is just not looking for a second time period, criticised the struggle rhetoric in a tv handle on Wednesday.
“I’m sorry that taking part in with concern was a part of this marketing campaign,” she mentioned.
“I’ve had the chance to get to know each presidential candidates throughout my 5 years in workplace and I can say with clear conscience that neither Peter Pellegrini nor Ivan Korcok will drag us into any struggle and won’t ship any of our troopers to Ukraine.”