President Čaputová of Slovakia assigned the task of assembling a new Slovak government to Robert Fico, the leader of the winning party, Směr-Social Democracy. He has a two-week deadline to form the cabinet. Směr secured victory in the election with 22.94 percent of the vote. Fico will also hold discussions with Michal Šimečka, the leader of Progressive Slovakia, and Peter Pellegrini, the head of the Voice party.
The Head of State expressed gratitude to all participants in the elections, emphasizing the democratic and lawful nature of the electoral process. She commended the relatively high voter turnout and noted that the election results accurately reflect the opinions, values, and sentiments of society. Čaputová also highlighted the importance of the new government in addressing social divides, emphasizing that it goes beyond the scope of elections. She stressed that the government should serve all citizens and promote unity within the Slovak Republic.
Čaputová confirmed that she had entrusted the formation of the new government to Robert Fico, the leader of the Směr party, with a defined timeframe. After 3 pm, she officially handed over the mandate to Fico, who acknowledged the challenges in forming a new government but expressed his commitment to the task. He did not disclose which potential coalition partner he would initiate negotiations with.
The president is scheduled to meet with Michal Šimečka, the chairman of Progressive Slovakia, on Monday and with Peter Pellegrini, the chairman of the Voice party, on Tuesday.
Progressive Slovakia secured the second position with 17.96% of the vote, while the third-place party was the Voice-Social Democracy party, receiving 14.7%.
It is widely expected that Směr will form a coalition with the Hlas party and Andrej Danko’s Slovak National Party, which received 5.62 percent of the vote in the election. This coalition would have 79 out of 150 MPs in the parliament.
Reflecting on the election results, the Slovak head of state took to social media on Sunday, describing them as a free and democratic representation of Slovak society. She acknowledged the presence of both jubilation and disappointment among the people but emphasized that it is an accurate reflection of Slovakia’s diversity. Čaputová also acknowledged that the election campaign had strained social relationships and trust in politics and democracy, urging the winner to fulfill public expectations for the benefit of all citizens.
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