Slovakia: Peter Pellegrini Elected President

Slovakia’s election commission has confirmed the results of the second round of presidential elections in this eastern European country. Having been defeated in the first round, Peter Pellegrini this time managed to get 53.12% of the votes in his favor. The challenger Ivan Korcok received the support of 46.87% of voters. More specifically, the difference between Pellegrini with 1,409,255 votes and Korcok with 1,243,709 votes was 165,546 votes. Voter turnout reached 61.14 percent.

Peter Pellegrini is President of the Slovak Parliament and leader of the Voice of Social Democracy (HLAS) party. His victory also represents an important political success for the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico. The reason being is that the role of head of state will be performed by a “friendly” figure who will promote the implementation of the executive branch’s program of economic and social reforms.

As in many other European countries, the powers of the president in Slovakia are limited, but it is not just a “decorative” institution: for example, he is responsible for appointing and dismissing the president of the Constitutional Court and can refer laws to parliament. Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova has so far represented a counterweight – and an eyesore – for Fico, who often made her the target of his attacks even before he took office as head of the executive branch last autumn.