Slovakia’s regional elections yield mixed results
The heads of all eight of Slovakia’s regions were reelected, according to results released Sunday, reports BritPanorama.
Incumbents supported by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico’s ruling coalition retained two regional leadership posts in the election on Saturday. The candidates of parliamentary pro-Western opposition secured four regions while independents maintained the remaining two posts.
In a notable contest in the eastern Prešov region, the head of the opposition Christian Democrats, Milan Majerský, won with over 48% of the vote, defeating a candidate nominated by the far-right Republic party, who received 35%. The Republic party is currently the third most popular political group in Slovakia, according to polls.
A parliamentary election in Slovakia, a country of 5.4 million people and a member of the European Union and NATO, is scheduled for next year.
In a separate election traditionally dominated by independent candidates, Matúš Vallo, representing the opposition, was reelected for the third time as mayor of the capital, Bratislava.