BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) – A close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico has defeated a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia’s new president, replacing Zuzana Caputova, the country’s first female head of state. Ta.
In Saturday’s run-off, Parliament Speaker Peter Pellegrini won 53.26% of the votes in almost every polling station counted by the National Statistics Office, ahead of former Foreign Minister Ivan Korkok, who received 46.73%.
“I can promise you that I will be the president of all Slovak people,” Pellegrini said. “I can promise you that I will always be by Slovakia’s side.”
Pellegrini will be the sixth president of Slovakia since independence after the partition of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Caputova, a strong supporter of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, did not seek re-election to a second term in the largely ceremonial post.
Pellegrini’s victory gave Fico and his allies control of key strategic posts and strengthened Fico’s grip on power.
After parliamentary elections, the president of the country of 5.4 million people elects the prime minister, swears in the new government, and appoints judges to the Constitutional Court. The president can veto legislation, but parliament can override the veto with a simple majority and challenge it in the Constitutional Court. The head of state also has the right to pardon convicts.
The government, headed by the prime minister, has most of the executive powers.
In the parliamentary elections held on September 30, Fico’s leftist Smer (Directions) party won on the platform of being pro-Russian and anti-American.
Pellegrini, 48, who prefers a strong role for the state, is the leader of the left-wing party Fras (Voice), which finished third in the vote and joined a coalition government with Fico and the ultranationalist Slovak People’s Party. .
Heartiest congratulations @PellegriniP_ About Slovakia’s landslide victory in the presidential election. A big win for the people of 🇸 and a big win for the defenders of 🇸 #peace All over Europe! Blahojerame, President Pan!
— Viktor Orban (@PM_ViktorOrban) April 7, 2024
Critics fear that Fico’s Slovakia will abandon its pro-Western policies and follow the lead of Hungary, led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
The new government immediately halted arms shipments to Ukraine. In recent days, thousands of people have repeatedly taken to the streets across Slovakia to rally against Fico’s pro-Russian policies and other policies, including reforms to the criminal code and plans to control public media.
“The majority of Slovak citizens said they preferred this method of arbitration,” Fico said in a comment.
Mr. Colcoc criticized the government’s move, which protesters feared could undermine the rule of law, but Mr. Pellegrini supported the new government and did not question its policies.
Mr. Korcok is a former ambassador to the United States and Germany, and also served as the country’s special envoy to NATO and the European Union. He is a staunch supporter of Slovakia’s membership in the EU and NATO.
He admitted defeat and congratulated the winners.
He called the result “disappointing.”
Pellegrini, Fico’s former deputy in Semeru state, was elected in 2018 after Fico was forced to resign following massive anti-government street protests over the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiance. He became prime minister in 2013.
Mr Pellegrini briefly parted ways with Mr Fico after the scandal-plagued Mr Sumer lost the last election in 2020.
Pellegrini’s victory rebounded Fico from two consecutive presidential election losses. Fico lost to Andrej Kiska in the presidential vote 10 years ago, and Caputova claimed victory in the 2019 vote to the candidate he supported.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Fico declares that Ukraine must cede territory to Russia for peace dealhttps://t.co/ykF7OkIlyi
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 21, 2024
