An ally of the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was set to win the presidential election in the country, which would further solidify the premier’s hold on power. Peter Pellegrini, a former prime minister and member of Fico’s ruling coalition, secured 55.9% of the vote, while Ivan Korcok, a diplomat critical of Fico’s policies, obtained 44.1% of the vote based on 88% of the results published by the statistics office on Saturday. The top two newspapers in Slovakia have already declared Pellegrini as the winner.
This presidential victory would make it easier for Fico to pass legislation and appoint crucial public officials. Since returning to office last year, the Slovak Prime Minister has faced public criticism and scrutiny from the European Union for his decisions to limit anti-corruption efforts, restrict independent media outlets, and oppose military support for Ukraine from EU and NATO allies.
As a parliamentary speaker, Pellegrini played a pivotal role in pushing through judicial reforms. During his campaign, Pellegrini accused Korcok, who advocated for supporting Kyiv, of trying to involve the country in a war.
Zuzana Caputova, the current president and a symbol of Slovakia’s anti-corruption movement, has worked to block some of Fico’s more controversial proposals. In February, she submitted his contentious criminal law reforms to the country’s highest court, which has yet to issue a ruling.
Pellegrini took over as Prime Minister from Fico in 2018, after the Slovak leader was forced to resign amidst widespread protests following the murder of a journalist investigating corruption in the EU member state.
Following the public outcry, Pellegrini left Fico’s Smer party and formed his own group, Voice, for last year’s parliamentary elections. He later joined Fico’s coalition in October, despite previously stating in an interview with Bloomberg that he could not imagine serving in the same government as the Smer leader. Pellegrini campaigned on a more EU-friendly platform, supporting military assistance to Ukraine. However, after Fico’s victory, he abandoned these positions.
Pellegrini began his political career in 2002 as an assistant to a Smer lawmaker. He was elected as a member of parliament in 2006, and has since held various key positions within the political sphere, including deputy finance minister, education minister, parliament speaker, deputy prime minister for investment, and prime minister.
His political trajectory, characterized by nearly two decades of unwavering loyalty to Robert Fico and the Smer party, has earned him the nickname “yes-man” among his critics.