The pro-Europeans are ahead of the pro-Russians

From our correspondent
BRATISLAVA – Smer SD, the populist party led by Robert Fico, has practically, if not yet formally, won the parliamentary elections in Bratislava. Slovakia. The formation led by the former Prime Minister and with which he distinguished his election campaign Pro-Russian and anti-EU positionsHe could obtain 23.31% of the votes after 99.33% of the votes are counted. Michal Simica of Progressive Slovakia, a liberal centrist party with a clear pro-European matrix and favored by polls and opinion polls, stopped at 17%. It was followed by Hlas-Sd with 14.98% of the votes.

Voting day

Robert Fico at the polling station with his elderly mother, Michal Simica with his daughter. the Pro-Russian social populist Who hopes, after putting his vote in the ballot box, that “common sense will triumph,” so that Slovakia is not run by inexperienced amateurs who drag us into adventures, both military and with immigrants. And Pro-European liberal He hopes that “any government that emerges from the elections will continue to do so.” Support Ukraine».

On voting day, the two main contenders demonstrated this The Slovakia they are fighting for. For one night, this small country between the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains ended up under the spotlight of European chancelleries, eager to understand how it would end. A duel may return Slovakia to the orbit of Russian influence And further weaken the compactness of the Western Front.

98% of the votes have been counted

Populist party Samar-Sd The country led by 23.37% in the Slovak elections, when 98% of ballots were counted, despite polls predicting that its centrist rival, the Progressive Slovak Party, would come first. In particular, former Prime Minister Smer-SD Robert Ficowho ran a strongly worded election campaign Pro-Russian and anti-EUwith 23.69%, followed by the pro-European Michal Simica with just under 16.87%, and the Halas-SD party with 15.04%.

First exit polls(Even in previous elections they were proven incorrect), they reported instead The pro-EU liberal party Progressive Slovakia, led by Michal Simica, has a slight advantage with 23.5% of the vote. (Acquired by Focus Agency for Marchesa TV). He would have beaten Fico’s party, Smer-SD, a long-time favorite in the polls which got 21.9%. Although all eyes are on the main competitors, The third force, Peter Pellegrini’s “social democratic voice,” looms as the decisive force., which was born from a branch of Fico Smer in 2020. This young formation, with two fronts competing for 12.2%, could be the turning point in this consultation where obtaining more votes is not enough to win. The party’s first leader can try to form a coalition government first, but will have to face the challenge of complex post-election negotiations to secure at least 76 of Parliament’s 150 seats. Pellegrini, a moderate pro-European, has not yet made any statements about his position, but according to rumours He may prefer Samir in exchange for the prime ministership. However, it is uncertain whether his support will be enough to give Fico the opportunity to govern. Other potential Fico allies are The far-right “Republica”, approved by 6%, aims to remove Slovakia from the European Union NATO and the nationalists in the National Socialist Party had her at 4.4%, thus out of the running in this exit poll and instead in another.

Simica noteInstead, it sees Slovakia’s future firmly tied to the EU and NATO, and has Richard Selek’s liberal Freedom and Solidarity party, which polled 6.4%, as a natural ally. Even for him, Pellegrini’s potential support may not be enough to rule. However, the puzzle of alliances will begin to unravel Only when it is known with certainty which of the smaller parties has crossed the threshold.

Selec itself seems to be most popular in the quiet residential area of ​​the historic centre, dominated by the imposing castle, the symbol of the city on the Danube. Philip, 28, who declared outside the polling station that he was “not much interested in politics, but I voted for him because he’s my father, the typical cobbler with broken shoes,” says he voted for him, smiling. Also from Boruta, 67 years old: “I voted for Sulik, and I like his economic program. Simica does not convince us, it seems to me that she has priorities that are very far from ours“He seems detached from Slovak reality, maybe he was in Brussels too much” sheds light on this woman who worked in the German embassy and now runs an art gallery. Some people have their bags packed: One well-known commentator, who has already been threatened in the street for his anti-Fico stances, admitted that if the populist leader wins he will leave Slovakia today: “It is very dangerous for me to stay with a leader who aims to dismantle the Communist Party.” “The rule of law will save itself from prosecution, and with him in power the far-right gangs will feel as if they are acting with impunity.”