The social democrat Peter Pellegrini, supporter of the pro-Russian government of Prime Minister Robert Ficoha won the Slovak presidential elections with 53% of the votes. The current President of Parliament e leader of one of the three parties of the coalition of left-wing populists and ultranationalists it has like this defeated the pro-European Ivan Korcok, who came first in the first round a fortnight ago with his message of exercising control of the executive from the position of head of state. Korkok stopped at 43%.
During the election campaign, Pellegrini defended the need to negotiate with Russia to end the war that began with his invasion of Ukraine, a position maintained by the government which, since coming to power in the fall, has stopped the country’s significant military aid to Kiev. Voter turnout was 60%, 18 points higher than in 2019.
“I am sincerely disappointed” but “I want to congratulate the winner,” commented Korcok, who was supported by the opposition. “I want to express my belief that Pietro Pellegrini will be independent and will act according to his own convictions and without orders,” Korcok added. “It’s an enormous satisfaction”, said Peter Pellegrini speaking in Bratislava and assuring his commitment so that “Slovakia remains on the side of peace and not on the side of the war.”