Slovakia is celebrating this Saturday first round of presidential elections to elect the successor to the current head of state Zuzana Caputova will not appear “for personal reasons”. to take part in these elections, even though she is constitutionally entitled to do so and the polls have shown her as the clear favorite to renew her mandate.
This means that two politicians are considered favorites to move into the second round Nine candidates are running: the liberal former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, who has promised to act as a counterweight to the left-wing nationalist government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, and the Social Democrat and ruling party Peter Pellegrini, who presents himself as a figure of reconciliation in a polarized country, Europe reports. Press.
An example of this was the protests in mid-month against the Fico government over a bill that would scrutinize the status of the state-run radio and television broadcaster (RTVS), which was even criticized by President Caputova.
About 4.4 million people are called to cast their votes in a vote that ends around 9 p.m., awaiting results on Sunday afternoon and, according to all polls, a second round of voting on April 6. The candidates will win an outright victory.
The result is expected to move to a second and decisive round on April 6, which will decide who will become the tenant of the Grassal Palace in Bratislava.
Pellegrini, 48, represents the country’s political turnaround after the fall to power of left-wing populist and former co-religionist Robert Fico, whose coalition government has stopped arms sales to Ukraine and favors a peace process. in Ukraine without guarantees of territorial integrity for the country invaded and attacked by Russia, Efe reports.
Korcok, 59, is the most pro-Western and pro-European candidate. He took an active part in street protests against the government over the reform of the criminal code and the attempt to subject Slovakia’s public radio and television to the influence of the executive branch.
Slovakia, a post-communist country of 5.5 million people, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its accession to the European Union and NATO this year.