The social democratic politician Peter Pellegrini He won the presidential elections in Slovakia this Saturday with 53% of the votes, ahead of his rival, the liberal Europeanist Ivan Korcok, according to preliminary data from the Statistical Office.
This result, which occurred with a high participation of 61%, ensures the stability of the government coalition of left-wing populistssocial democrats and ultranationalists, who led by veteran Robert Ficothe politician who has lasted the longest at the head of an Executive since the birth of the country in 1993.
“We have sent a signal that the coalition remains stable“said Pellegrini after the result, which was larger than expected, and in which he obtained almost 70% more votes than in the first round, two weeks ago, in which he came second after Korcok.
Before the vote, analysts had categorized these elections as a referendum on Fico.
The Fico Government, in power since last autumn, has made a radical shift in foreign policy, stopping supplying weapons to Ukraine and ensuring that kyiv is partly responsible for the war caused by the Russian attackand advocating for a negotiation with Russia to end the conflict, even without guarantees of territorial integrity for Ukrainians.
Furthermore, it has undertaken controversial measures, such as elimination of the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Officeand others that recall the policies of control of the media and NGOs carried out by the Government of the ultranationalist Viktor Orbán in Hungary, which has generated criticism within the EU for violating the rule of law.
Pellegrini managed to mobilize the more nationalist votewhich went in the first round to Stefan Harabin, the third candidate who obtained the most votes at the time, with an anti-NATO message and pro-Russian rhetoric.
The social democrat also managed to mobilize the main ethnic minority of the country, the Hungarians – who make up 10% of the population – who barely participated in the first round, and now did so en masse, something that Pellegrini thanked them for.
“I thank the ethnic minorities for their trust, It is my mission not to disappoint you“said the winner, who also assured to respect the country's international framework.
“I will be a president who respects the international frameworkthe interests of the country and its citizens, and that he will do everything possible to support the Government to fulfill its program,” he also said.
