Ally of Russia-friendly prime minister wins Slovakia presidential election
- Peter Pellegrini, known to his critics as the Slovakian PM Robert Fico’s ‘yes man’, opposes Europe’s continued military support to Ukraine
- Since taking power last year, Fico has triggered EU scrutiny for his decisions to curb the fight against corruption and suppress independent media
Peter Pellegrini, a former prime minister and member of Fico’s ruling coalition, got 53.2 per cent of the vote, while Ivan Korcok, a diplomat who has criticised the prime minister’s agenda, secured 46.8 per cent, based on almost all ballots counted shortly after midnight on Sunday. Korcok has conceded defeat.
Pellegrini, as a parliamentary speaker, played a crucial role in pushing through the judicial overhaul. During the campaign, he accused Korcok, who advocated for supporting Kyiv, of wanting to drag the country into war.
“The government can count on that, as long as it fulfils its programme, it doesn’t have to fear that the presidential palace will become an opposition centre harming the cabinet, as it was in the past,” Pellegrini told reporters in Bratislava after announcing his victory.
Zuzana Caputova, the current officeholder and standard-bearer of Slovakia’s anti-corruption movement, moved to stop some of Fico’s more controversial proposals. She submitted his contentious criminal-law overhaul in February to the country’s top court, which has yet to issue a ruling.
