Slovakia's presidential election on Saturday resulted in a victory for nationalist-left government candidate Peter Pellegrini, further solidifying the influence of pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico in the country. Pellegrini, aged 48, emphasized that his win reflects support for the government's agenda and a rejection of the outgoing liberal president Zuzana Caputova.
Prime Minister Fico, who is in his fourth term, has been steering Slovakia's foreign policy towards pro-Russian stances and has introduced reforms in criminal law and media regulations, sparking concerns about the rule of law in the country.
Pellegrini secured 53.26% of the vote, while his pro-Western opposition rival Ivan Korcok garnered 46.73%, according to results from 99.66% of voting districts. While the Slovak president's executive powers are limited, they can veto laws and nominate constitutional court judges, potentially influencing political conflicts over Fico's reform agenda.
Fico's coalition, which includes a party led by Pellegrini, has halted Slovakia's official arms shipments to Ukraine. Fico has criticized what he sees as Western interference in the conflict and has warned against Slavic nations engaging in hostilities with each other.
Pellegrini portrayed Korcok as a warmonger due to his support for arming Ukraine and suggested that Korcok might involve Slovak troops in the neighboring country's conflict, a claim that Korcok has refuted.
