A pro-Western career diplomat faces an ally of the populist premier in Slovakia’s presidential vote

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A pro-Western career diplomat and a detailed ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are going through one another in a presidential runoff on Saturday to find out who will probably be the subsequent head of state.

Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok is up in opposition to Peter Pellegrini, who heads a coalition occasion in Fico’s authorities, in the vote for the largely ceremonial publish as president of the nation of 5.4 million.

A victory for Pellegrini, who at the moment serves as Parliament speaker, would cement Fico’s energy by giving him and his allies management of main strategic posts.

It would additionally deprive Slovakia and the European Union of a key pro-Ukrainian voice. The present president, Zuzana Čaputová, a staunch backer of Slovakia’s neighbor Ukraine in its combat in opposition to Russia’s two-year invasion, didn’t stand for a second time period.

A former liberal environmental activist, she has repeatedly come below assault from Fico, who gained Sept. 30 parliamentary elections on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform and has accused Čaputová of being a U.S. agent.

The newest public polls predict a decent race. The winner will turn into the nation’s sixth head of state since Slovakia gained independence in 1993 after Czechoslovakia break up in two.

THE RUNOFF

As none of the 9 candidates gained a majority in the March 23 first spherical, the two high vote-getters superior to the runoff. Korčok gained the first spherical with 42.5% of the votes, with Pellegrini trailing on 37%. A former justice minister and choose, Štefan Harabin, who has overtly sided with Russia in its battle with Ukraine, completed a distant third with 11.7%.

IVAN KORČOK

The 60-year-old shouldn’t be affiliated with any political occasion however agreed to turn into the overseas minister in 2020 when he was the ambassador to the United States. During the coronavirus pandemic, Korčok opposed a secret deal to accumulate Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine orchestrated by Prime Minister Igor Matovič, calling the vaccine a instrument in Russia’s hybrid battle in opposition to the West. Korčok represented the pro-business Freedom and Solidarity occasion in the publish until 2022. Previously, he additionally served as the ambassador to Germany and was the nation’s envoy to NATO and the European Union. He’s married, a father of two who firmly helps Slovakia’s EU and NATO memberships.

PETER PELLEGRINI

Pellegrini, 48, who favors a powerful position for the state, heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) occasion that completed third in final 12 months’s vote. His occasion joined a ruling coalition with Fico’s leftist Smer (Direction) occasion and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party. Critics fear Slovakia below Fico will abandon its pro-Western course and observe the route of Hungary below populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Thousands have repeatedly taken to the streets throughout Slovakia lately to rally in opposition to Fico’s pro-Russian and different insurance policies that they worry undermine the rule of regulation whereas voicing their assist for Korčok.

Pellegrini, who was Fico’s former deputy in Smer, turned prime minister in 2018, after Fico was pressured to resign following main anti-government road protests over the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancee. Pellegrini had quickly parted methods with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer misplaced the earlier election in 2020.

A CAMPAIGN SHAPED BY WAR

The battle in neighboring Ukraine was a core marketing campaign situation. Pellegrini’s candidacy is supported by Fico’s coalition that instantly stopped any army support to Ukraine, saying the battle has no army answer. Pellegrini accused Korčok of being a warmonger prepared to attract his nation into the battle by sending troops to Ukraine. Korčok dismissed that.

In Slovakia, the authorities and parliament, however not the president, can approve Slovak troops’ deployment overseas. Pellegrini additionally recommended that Slovakia wouldn’t be capable to ship its troops to different NATO members in the event that they had been attacked, a precept of NATO’s collective protection. He claimed the Slovak army shouldn’t be armed effectively sufficient to take action.

PRESIDENTIAL POWERS

Elected for a five-year time period, the president picks the prime minister after parliamentary elections, swears in the new authorities and appoints Constitutional Court judges. The president may veto legal guidelines, although Parliament can override the veto with a easy majority, and problem them at the Constitutional Court. The head of state additionally has the proper to pardon convicts.

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