Home FEATURED Michal Šimečka: “We will do everything…so that Robert Fico does not rule in Slovakia”

Michal Šimečka: “We will do everything…so that Robert Fico does not rule in Slovakia”

by EUToday Correspondents
Michal Šimečka
Slovakia’s leftist former Prime Minister Robert Fico beat his progressive rival Michal Šimečka (pictured) in a parliamentary election after campaigning to end military aid to Ukraine, but he will need to mould a coalition in order to form the next government.

Liberal party Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia, PS), which won the second highest number of votes in a Slovak parliamentary election, still sees an option to form a ruling coalition, its leader Michal Simecka said on Sunday.

Michal Šimečka, currently a vice-president of the European Parliament, speaking after Saturday’s vote, said PS would do what it can to prevent vote winner SMER-SSD from forming a government. “It remains our aim for Slovakia to have after this election a stable pro-European government that will care for the rule of law and which begins to solve and invest into areas key for our future,”  he told supporters.

SMER-SSD, led by former prime minister Robert Fico, who campaigned on pledges to end military aid to Ukraine, won 22.94% of the vote, with results from 99.98% of voting districts counted on Sunday.

PS came in second with 17.96%, and five other parties also won seats. “SMER-SSD won the election, we of course respect that,” Simecka told a news conference.

“But at the same time we believe that this is very bad news for Slovakia. And it would be even worse news if Robert Fico succeeds in forming a government… We will do everything…so that Robert Fico does not rule in Slovakia.”

Read also: Refusal to lift ex-PM Fico’s immunity casts doubts on Slovakia’s coalition government

Michal Šimečka said he would reach out to other party leaders to discuss a way forward, and acknowledged that third-placed leftist party HLAS (Voice) had a key position.

“Basically two realistic coalitions exist: One is led by SMER and the potential other one made up of Progressive Slovakia and other partners,” Simecka said.

Image: Alexis HAULOT Copyright: © European Union 2022 – Source : EP

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