Slovakia's parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini on Monday set presidential elections for March and April this year and said he plans to run to replace retiring pro-Western liberal opponent Zuzana Chaputova, writes UNN citing Reuters.
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Pellegrini, who constitutionally sets election dates, said the first round will be held on March 23 and the runoff, which will take place in the likely event that no candidate wins an absolute majority, will be held on April 6.
"The vote is likely to be a confrontation between the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Robert Fico and independent candidates closer to the liberal opposition," the newspaper said.
EU and NATO presidents do not have much power in day-to-day life, but they can veto laws or challenge them in the constitutional court. The victory of Pellegrini, leader of the government's Glas ("Voice") party, would strengthen the coalition's power, the newspaper said.
"If the party leadership agrees with my candidacy and all the requirements are met, then... I will announce my candidacy on January 19," Pellegrini said after announcing the election dates at a press conference.
The main opponents at the moment are former foreign minister in the previous government, Ivan Korczok, 59, and a diplomat and foreign minister from Fico's previous, more pro-Western era, Jan Kubiš, 71.
Opinion polls showed that Pellegrini, 48, would have an advantage over the others in a hypothetical second round. New candidates could still emerge, including from among the nationalists in the government camp.
Fico, described by the publication as one who "has become anti-Western" and opposes military aid to Ukraine, formed a government coalition with former party ally Pellegrini and the nationalist SNS party after winning parliamentary elections in September 2023.
The new government has cut off official military aid to Ukraine and embarked on an accelerated reform of criminal law and prosecution, raising concerns in the European Union and the United States about a potential weakening of the rule of law.
Slovak presidents are elected for five-year terms and can run for two consecutive terms, something human rights lawyer Chaputova does not do. For her liberal stance, she was often criticized by Fitzo, who claimed without evidence that she was a puppet of the United States and served the interests of American financier George Soros, the publication said.
В Словакии продолжаются протесты против правительства Фицо20.12.2023, 13:15