Nationalist-left authorities candidate Peter Pellegrini has gained Slovakia’s presidential election forward of liberal, pro-western opposition candidate Ivan Korčok.
The shut ally of populist prime minister Robert Fico obtained 53.85% of the vote with the ballots from greater than 98% polling stations counted by the Statistics Workplace in Saturday’s runoff election, topping former international minister Korčok who had 46.14%.
Korčok conceded the defeat and congratulated the winner. “I’m disenchanted,” he stated.
Pellegrini turns into Slovakia’s sixth president because the nation gained independence after the break up of Czechoslovakia in 1993 and can succeed Zuzana Čaputová, the nation’s first feminine head of state.
Čaputová, a staunch backer of neighbouring Ukraine in its struggle in opposition to Russia’s invasion, introduced she wouldn’t run for re-election final June after receiving demise threats.
Pellegrini’s victory cemented Fico’s grip on energy by giving him and his allies management of main strategic posts.
Slovakia’s president picks the prime minister after parliamentary elections, swears within the new authorities and appoints constitutional court docket judges. The president may veto legal guidelines, although parliament can override the veto with a easy majority, and problem them on the constitutional court docket. The pinnacle of state additionally has the precise to pardon convicts.
The federal government, led by the prime minister, possesses most govt powers.
Fico’s leftist Smer (Course) celebration gained the parliamentary elections in September on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform.
Pellegrini, 48, who favours a powerful position for the state, heads the leftwing Hlas (Voice) celebration, which completed third within the vote and joined a governing coalition with Fico and the ultranationalist Slovak Nationwide celebration.
Critics fear Slovakia beneath Fico will abandon its pro-western course and comply with Hungary’s route beneath its populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
The brand new authorities instantly halted any arms deliveries to Ukraine. 1000’s have taken to the streets throughout Slovakia just lately to rally in opposition to Fico’s pro-Russian and different insurance policies, together with plans to amend the penal code and take management of the general public media.
Korčok was vital of the federal government’s strikes, which protesters concern may undermine the rule of regulation, whereas Pellegrini backed the brand new authorities and didn’t query its insurance policies.
Korčok is the previous ambassador to the US and Germany, for which he additionally served as envoy to Nato and the EU. He firmly helps Slovakia’s EU and Nato memberships.
Pellegrini, who was Fico’s former deputy in Smer, grew to become prime minister in 2018, after Fico was pressured to resign following main anti-government road protests over the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancee.
Pellegrini had briefly parted methods with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer misplaced the earlier election in 2020.
With Pellegrini’s win, Fico rebounded from two straight presidential election losses. Fico was defeated on the presidential vote by Andrej Kiska 10 years in the past whereas Čaputová claimed victory over a candidate he supported within the 2019 poll.