Peter Pellegrini, ally of the populist government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, won the presidential election in Slovakia on Saturday April 6, well ahead of pro-European diplomat Ivan Korcok in the second round, according to almost final results.
Mr. Pellegrini, an economist by training, obtained 53.2% of the votes, compared to 46.8% for Mr. Korcok, according to figures published by the Slovak Statistical Office covering 99.8% of the votes. Analysts had expected a tighter result. Turnout in the second round of voting was 61.12%.
“It’s a great satisfaction”declared Mr. Pellegrini in a speech to his supporters. “I want to be a president who will defend the national interests of Slovakia”, he stressed. He assured that he wanted to do everything ” so that [le pays de 5,4 millions d’habitants] stay on the side of peace and not on the side of war”. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a key feature of the election campaign, particularly since populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, a longtime ally of Mr. Pellegrini, questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty. kyiv and called for peace with Moscow.
Peter Pellegrini was a minister in Mr. Fico’s previous governments. He even replaced him as prime minister after the fall of his government in 2018, following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée, shot dead in their home. The double murder sparked a wave of protests across the country, which forced Mr. Fico to resign. In his last article, published posthumously, Mr. Kuciak revealed links between the Italian mafia and the Slovak government.
A populist government favorable to Russia
In place since October 2023, the current government, made up of Mr. Fico’s Smer-SD party, Mr. Pellegrini’s Hlas-SD movement and the small far-right SNS, has also interrupted military aid to neighboring Ukraine. “If Pellegrini wins, Slovakia could follow the ‘Orban path’”estimated analyst Tomas Koziaka, referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is favorable to the Kremlin.
Ivan Korcok admitted his defeat and congratulated his opponent. “I would like to congratulate the winner of the election, Peter Pellegrini”, this former foreign minister told the press and his supporters. He also expressed his hope that “Peter Pellegrini will be independent and will act according to his own convictions and without orders”making a clear allusion to the close relationship between the future president and the head of government, Robert Fico.
But he also criticized his opponent “a non-transparent campaign”. “It turns out that it is possible to become president of the Slovak Republic by spreading hatred”he said, reproaching Peter Pellegrini and his camp for having presented him during the electoral campaign as a “war candidate”favorable to Slovakia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
Peter Pellegrini will replace liberal President Zuzana Caputova. Although in Slovakia the powers of a president are limited, he ratifies international treaties, appoints key judges and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He can also veto laws passed by Parliament. Mr Pellegrini will officially become Slovak president on June 15.