The president of Slovakia, Zuzana Caputova, has tasked the populist and pro-Russian Robert Fico, winner of Saturday’s legislative elections, with forming a government. This opens a two-week period for the Smer-SD leader to try to form a parliamentary majority. If she fails to do so, and that is an arithmetic possibility, Caputova would call on the second party with the most support at the polls, the pro-European Progressive Slovakia. Therefore, a situation would arise equal to that experienced in Spain.
“The task of the head of state is to respect the result of democratic elections and guarantee the proper functioning of our constitutional bodies,” Caputova declared in a statement released before the official ceremony, broadcast on television.
Fico stated that the formation of the Government “will not be an easy process, but we will do everything possible to form a government.” If he succeeds, the populist will become prime minister for the fourth time.
Fico, an admirer of the Hungarian Prime Minister, the ultranationalist Viktor Orban, and willing to restore relations with Russia, won 22.95% of the vote or 42 seats in a Parliament of 150. His first option would be a coalition with the Social Democrats. The Voice (“Hlas”), a party formed from a split from Smer in 2020 and which now won 14.7% of the ballots or 27 seats. He would need a third partner and analysts point to the nationalist SNS formation, which achieved 5.62% support at the polls or 10 deputies. Together they would add 79 seats, three more than necessary for an absolute majority of 76.
But it is not the only option and Fico knows it, hence in the triumphant speech he gave once the ballot count was completed he promised to continue working for Slovakia whether his party “or not reached the Government” and he himself “to the position of first.” Minister”.
The key is in “Hlas” and in what Fico can offer them, since it would be the same for them to go second in a tripartite led by Smer than for Progressive Slovakia, which with 17.96% of the votes will have 32 deputies in the chamber. . If they are joined by Hlas, Smer’s enemies, whom they accuse of corruption in addition to having ended his government by leading a motion of censure, they would obtain 75 seats. With the abstention of a deputy from any of the remaining formations, they would gain the majority for an investiture.
At the same time, the current Slovak government accused Russia of “interference” and summoned a diplomat from the Russian embassy, ??after the head of Russian foreign intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, described Progressive Slovakia as “proxies of the United States,” according to reports the AFP agency.