Slovakia has parliamentary elections and the pro-Russia ex-PM leads the left-wing party

Peter Pellegrini, the former prime minister of Slovakia, and the emergence of a peace agreement with Russia and the U.S. in a left-wing coalition

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — A populist former prime minister and his leftist party won parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results.

The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party led by Fico’s former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini was third with 15%. Fico’s chances of forming a government would be boosted if there was a reunion with Pellegrini after he parted ways with Smer.

The election Saturday was a test for the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.

The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war.

With no party winning a majority of seats, a coalition government will need to be formed. The president traditionally asks an election’s winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. He served as prime minister in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018.

He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the U.S. should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal.

In defence of the Law and Justice party in Slovakia, Viktor Orbán vowed to end military aid in the wake of Fico’s victory

Fico’s critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party.

Poland has been accused of being away from the principles of the EU’s rule-of-law, while Hungary has been reprimanded for alleged rule-of-law violations. Fico has threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deals with the most serious crimes and corruption.

Hungary also has — uniquely among EU countries — maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance.

Russian President Putin claims the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state for ethnic Russians in the country’s east. Zelenskyy is related to some of the Jews who died in the Holocaust.

Fico — who’s previously served twice as prime minister — campaigned on ceasing all military support for Ukraine, with the slogan “Not a single round” becoming a popular refrain of his party. He claimed that the United States played a role in starting the war and advocated peace talks with Moscow.

Observers say Slovakia has already exhausted most of its weaponry in helping Ukraine over the past couple of years and that Fico’s pledge to stop all military aid may not have any real-world effect.

After his party’s victory on Sunday, with 23% of the vote, Fico said he will not give any more military aid to Ukraine.

Orban used the social media platform X to say that he “Guess who’s back!” after Fico’s win.

The Pro-EU Hlas “Voice” Party: the Key to a More Secure and Just As Secure Elections in Poland

Depending on the results of the elections in Poland, there could be three countries in the region where democratic checks and balances would be affected, and which would showcase a decline in democracy in the region.

She says that if the Ukraine joined NATO or the European Union they could slow down the process.

“A lot of civil society organizations are worried after the elections on Sunday,” Klingova says. “Civil society organizations have been at the core of attacks and smear campaigns and these kinds of attacks oftentimes get very personal.”

In 2016 when Fico served a previous term as prime minister, the organization of Klingova got a letter with bullets inside of it. While police caught the suspect and he served jail time, the threat was enough to prompt the organization to move offices to a more secure location.

The pro-EU Hlas (“Voice”) party, which came in third with 15% of the vote, promises to be the key to any such coalition. The leader of the party is a former colleague of Fico’s.

The distribution of seats shows Hlas as a party without any normally functioning coalition able to be put together.