Peter Pellegrini’s recent presidential victory could mean Slovakia mirroring Hungary's stance on Ukraine, potentially troubling the EU
Elections to largely ceremonial posts rarely hold a huge deal of significance, however, this has precisely been the case in the recently concluded presidential elections in Slovakia. In the presidential run-off on 6 April, former Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini defeated former foreign minister Ivan Korcok, thus enabling the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Robert Fico to capture the last key position in the government that was with the Opposition so far.
There were several candidates in the first round of elections held on the 23 March. But after that round, where Korcok secured the most votes with 42.5 percent, and Pellegrini came second with 37 percent, the two met in the run-off.
There were several candidates in the first round of elections held on the 23 March. But after that round, where Korcok secured the most votes with 42.5 percent, and Pellegrini came second with 37 percent, the two met in the run-off.
Peter Pellegrini is a long-term ally of PM Fico, though there was a brief split between the two. He was earlier in the Smer-SD party of the left-wing nationalist Fico and was chosen by the latter to lead the government from 2018 to 2020 after he was forced to resign in the aftermath of anti-corruption protests triggered by the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée. Pellegrini then split to form his party, the Hlas (Voice), which is seen as less hawkish than the Smer-SD but entered into a coalition with Fico after he was voted back to power in September 2022 and consequently, became the Speaker of the Parliament.
Ivan Korcok is a career diplomat who served as Slovakia’s foreign minister from 2020 to 2022. He had earlier served as the country’s envoy to the European Union and NATO, apart from being the ambassador to Germany and the United States.
The outgoing president, Zuzana Caputova, decided not to seek re-election.
As already mentioned, the post of President in Slovakia is largely ceremonial. However, they have few powers which are considered crucial. These include the power to veto legislation, ratify international treaties, and appoint judges in the constitutional court, among others. Thus, there were no policy issues at stake. However, what became the most significant issue during the election campaign was the continued support for Ukraine in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. Fico is widely seen as leaning towards Russia and had put the shipments of weapons to Ukraine on pause once he came back to power. This was almost a volte-face from a country which had generously helped Ukraine in the war till then. It even donated its entire fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine. While on the one hand, Pellegrini portrayed himself as a ‘peace candidate’, on the other, he and his camp sharply attacked Korcok (who’s staunchly pro-EU and NATO and expresses strong support for Ukraine) to the extent that they labelled him as a “warmonger”, and without any substantiation, asserted that, if elected, Korcok would send Slovak troops to Ukraine in the war—which is not allowed by the Slovak Constitution.
Korcok strongly denied these allegations. But he also doubled down on his assertion of supporting Ukraine on the premise that ensuring Ukraine’s security would help Slovakia secure itself, as in the opposite scenario, the war would come closer to the Slovak borders.
The aggressive campaigning seems to have worked for Pellegrini as he overturned the first-round defeat decisively with 53 percent of the votes in the run-off.
The election results mean that all of the key governmental positions in Slovakia are now controlled by PM Fico and his allies. This means that there will be no restraint on governmental legislation from now on. On top of that, there will be no moral restraint as well, which the outgoing president Caputova had on Fico, which prevented the country from going in an opposite direction from that of the West at present.
The election results mean that all of the key governmental positions in Slovakia are now controlled by PM Fico and his allies. This means that there will be no restraint on governmental legislation from now on.
Analysts are also concerned about the impact this might have on the rule of law in the country. Fico’s government has already abolished the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which existed to investigate corruption. More such changes in criminal law are in the pipeline, with many of the Smer-SD leaders under the scanner for corruption. Pellegrini being the president makes it a lot easier for Fico to push through such legislation. Similar are concerns about changes in the media landscape.
And then, there is the issue of Slovakia’s support for Ukraine in the war. Fico has, in the past, derided the stance of the West, which led to ‘Slavs killing each other’. This has been interpreted as the possibility of withdrawing support from Ukraine. This could create chinks in the armour of a unified Western response against Russia. Equally troublesome for Europe is the present ‘peace position’ of Fico and Pellegrini, where they have advocated an immediate end to the war and starting peace negotiations, which would inevitably mean the loss of territories for Ukraine.
There are concerns that Slovakia could go the Hungary way. This would mean that the joy of Europeans at the election of a government headed by Donald Tusk in Poland would be short-lived. Orban would gain an ally, which might become another headache for those in Brussels.
There is a high possibility of Slovakia going on a collision course with the EU in the near to medium term. The erosion of the rule of law and unchecked prevalence of corruption in the country will need to be monitored.
There is a high possibility of Slovakia going on a collision course with the EU in the near to medium term. The erosion of the rule of law and unchecked prevalence of corruption in the country will need to be monitored. Ukrainians will also keep a close watch on Slovak foreign policy from now on. However, all hope is not lost as Pellegrini, who is seen as considerably more moderate than Fico, may prevent a radical departure from the recent Slovak foreign policy. Till then, Europe watches, Ukraine watches, and so does the West.
Abhishek Khajuria is a Research Intern at the Observer Research Foundation.
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Abhishek Khajuria is a Research Intern with the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation ...
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