Slovakia’s pro-EU former foreign minister Ivan Korčok won the first round of Slovakia’s presidential election and will face Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Prime Minister Roberto Fiça, in the second round.
Ivan Korčok won 42.5 percent of the votes, while Pellegrini, who leads the Glas party, won 37.1 percent.
They will meet again in the second round on April 6.
The former president of the Supreme Court, Stefan Harabin, won 11.75 percent of the vote, and his votes could help Pellegrini.
Fico and his ruling left-wing Smer party won parliamentary elections last September on promises to freeze military aid to Ukraine and keep inflation under control.
Presidents do not have much executive power, but they do have a role in government and judicial appointments, can veto laws and shape public debate, as liberal President Zuzana Čaputova often did.
Public opinion polls before yesterday’s election showed that Pellegrini is leading and is likely to win the second round with Korčok.
