Peter Pellegrini was elected as the brand new President of Slovakia within the second spherical of the nation’s presidential election on 6 April. Erik Lastic and Tim Haughton determine 4 elements that specify Pellegrini’s victory and assess what the outcome may imply for Slovak democracy.
Elections can sign a change of course or the continuation of a course. Peter Pellegrini’s victory in Slovakia’s presidential election on Saturday appears set to substantiate the continuation of the nation’s journey alongside an intolerant path.
Though the formal powers of the Slovak presidency are restricted, the incumbent can act as an obstruction by vetoing laws and has the unique authority to nominate key posts such because the Lawyer Common and members of the constitutional courtroom. Furthermore, the presidency has symbolic energy in representing the state, and on formal set-piece events, the President can laud or lambast the federal government in energy.
Pellegrini’s long-term reputation
4 elements assist clarify Pellegrini’s 53% to 47% victory over Ivan Korčok within the second spherical. First, Pellegrini’s reputation meant the election was at all times his to lose. As quickly as hypothesis started about who may run within the elections, Pellegrini’s title topped the polls. The speaker of parliament and chief of Hlas (“Voice”) – the second largest occasion within the authorities coalition – had lengthy been certainly one of Slovakia’s hottest politicians. Though clearly related to the Marmite determine of Slovak politics, Prime Minister Robert Fico, Pellegrini crafted a extra reasonable picture palatable to a wider voters.
In a political system the place ranges of belief for all politicians are admittedly fairly low, Pellegrini was usually thought to be probably the most reliable. Maybe the one different politician who was able to interesting to a wider voters was the incumbent, the liberal and progressive President Zuzana Čaputová. However Čaputová selected to not search re-election, pointing to toxic private barbs from her opponents and the harassment her household endured throughout her five-year time period.
A rematch in a polarised atmosphere
The presidential election adopted laborious on the heels of September’s parliamentary elections, when three-time Prime Minister Fico returned to energy on the helm of a three-party coalition. Fico is a polarising determine in Slovak politics. He’s seen by supporters as a defender of Slovakia’s nationwide pursuits and the poorer sections of society. However opponents see his authorities as motivated by corrupt self-interest and responsible of taking Slovakia down an intolerant path away from the European mainstream.
Concern over Slovakia’s intolerant slide had led to widespread demonstrations throughout the nation and led many opposition forces to flock behind the candidacy of Ivan Korčok. A profession diplomat, Korčok sought to mobilise voters with a promise to behave as a test on the Fico authorities and to withstand strikes in the direction of a extra pro-Russian overseas coverage.
Mobilising turnout
Campaigns matter and may persuade voters to prove to vote and/or change their preferences on the poll field. Pellegrini elevated his vote tally from 834,718 within the first spherical to 1,409,255 within the second spherical and noticed his share of the vote soar from 37% to 53%. This means each mobilisation and conversion performed a task in his electoral success.
Central to the general enhance in turnout from 51% to 61% was the polarised nature of the election. Pellegrini’s most important message was a promise to deliver calm to Slovak politics. Designed to mobilise voters of the governing coalition companions, Pellegrini sought to distinction his provide to the prospect of a Korčok presidency. A victory for his rival, Pellegrini claimed, would imply the presidential palace would change into a nest for the opposition and would herald an period of chaos.
Pellegrini and his supporters pointed to the expertise of the anti-Fico authorities cast after the 2020 parliamentary elections and conjured up the worry {that a} victory for Korčok would result in a return to instability. The truth that Korčok had served as International Minister in that authorities and his marketing campaign’s clarion name to “Zastavme ich” (“let’s cease them”) solely added grist to the mill.
Switching to Pellegrini
The second main supply of Pellegrini’s assist was voters who had solid their ballots for different candidates within the first spherical. Two particular messages specifically had resonance with sure voters.
First, criticisms of engagement within the battle in Ukraine performed effectively with nationalist voters. Since taking energy, Robert Fico had not solely delivered on his promise to halt army assist for Ukraine however had intensified his rhetoric, depicting the battle as a proxy battle. Throughout the marketing campaign Pellegrini declared he could be a president for peace, expressing his willingness to stay to the place even when he confronted criticism from the West.
Furthermore, leaping on Emmanuel Macron’s point out of the potential for western army deployments and Korčok’s sturdy dedication to defend Ukraine, Fico and his allies evoked the worry that Slovakia could be sucked right into a army battle. Despite the fact that the presidency doesn’t have the ability to deploy troops, social media, specifically, was awash with emotive messages encouraging voters to prove to make sure that Slovak sons and grandsons wouldn’t be despatched to die within the battle.
Second, Pellegrini and his allies courted the votes of ethnic Hungarian voters, who make up 8% of the voters. The federal government not solely held a cupboard assembly in a city with a big ethnic Hungarian inhabitants but additionally introduced funding that will profit the areas the place that ethnic minority reside.
However Pellegrini additionally benefited from the Hungarian media closely selling him, together with a excessive profile interview on Hungarian state TV M1 the week earlier than polling day that was repeated on a number of events and shared on social media. Moreover, though it’s laborious to discern the impression of cues from politicians, the endorsement on the eve of the second spherical from the chief of the ethnic Hungarian occasion, Aliancia, is prone to have shifted some votes.
A Pellegrini presidency and the way forward for Slovak democracy
Pellegrini’s opponents sought to depict him as Fico’s bag provider or as an “obedient canine” who will do no matter his grasp needs. Clearly, a Pellegrini presidency will likely be much less obstructive for Fico, indicating that he could certainly be capable of deliver the calm he promised.
However Pellegrini’s elevation to the presidency could create the circumstances for turbulence. Following the standard observe, the brand new President will step down as a celebration chief, creating not only a emptiness however existential questions on the way forward for Hlas. Furthermore, opponents of Fico have declared their dedication to persevering with the demonstrations and resisting the intolerant flip. The course for Slovak democracy could also be set for the close to future, however it isn’t solid in stone.
Observe: This text offers the views of the authors, not the place of EUROPP – European Politics and Coverage or the London Faculty of Economics. Featured picture credit score: photocosmos1 / Shutterstock.com