Ukraine-sceptic government ally Peter Pellegrini wins Slovakian presidential election
Nationalist-left government candidate Peter Pellegrini has won Slovakia’s presidential election ahead of liberal, pro-western opposition candidate Ivan Korčok, The Guardian reports.
The close ally of populist prime minister Robert Fico received 53.85% of the vote with the ballots from more than 98% polling stations counted by the Statistics Office in Saturday’s runoff election, topping former foreign minister Korčok who had 46.14%.
Speaking in Bratislava, Pellegrini vowed “to ensure that Slovakia remains on the side of peace and not on the side of war”.
Korčok conceded the defeat and congratulated the winner. “I’m disappointed,” he said, adding that he respected the result.
Pellegrini becomes Slovakia’s sixth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993 and will succeed Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female head of state.
Čaputová, a staunch backer of neighbouring Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, announced she would not run for re-election last June after receiving death threats.
Pellegrini’s victory cemented Fico’s grip on power by giving him and his allies control of major strategic posts.
