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| Slovakia election: anti-immigration PM wins, but loses majority Slovakia election: anti-immigration PM wins, but loses majority | |
| (3 months later) | |
| The party of Slovak prime minister Robert Fico has won the parliamentary election, according to almost complete results, but gains by opposition parties including far-right extremists will complicate formation of a new government. | The party of Slovak prime minister Robert Fico has won the parliamentary election, according to almost complete results, but gains by opposition parties including far-right extremists will complicate formation of a new government. |
| Fico, a leftist whose anti-immigration views are in line with neighbours Poland and Hungary, took 28.7% of the vote, far ahead of others but less than around 35% predicted in opinion polls, results from 91% of voting districts showed. | Fico, a leftist whose anti-immigration views are in line with neighbours Poland and Hungary, took 28.7% of the vote, far ahead of others but less than around 35% predicted in opinion polls, results from 91% of voting districts showed. |
| With eurozone member Slovakia due to take over the European Union’s rotating presidency from July, giving it a bigger role in EU policy discussions over the bloc’s migration crisis, the election is being watched closely in Brussels. | With eurozone member Slovakia due to take over the European Union’s rotating presidency from July, giving it a bigger role in EU policy discussions over the bloc’s migration crisis, the election is being watched closely in Brussels. |
| Fico’s Smer-Social Democracy party bet on a combination of popular welfare measures such as free train rides for students and pensioners and his opposition to accepting refugees to secure a third term, after ruling from 2006-2010 and 2012-2016. | Fico’s Smer-Social Democracy party bet on a combination of popular welfare measures such as free train rides for students and pensioners and his opposition to accepting refugees to secure a third term, after ruling from 2006-2010 and 2012-2016. |
| The results showed that at least eight groups may win seats in the new parliament. | The results showed that at least eight groups may win seats in the new parliament. |
| Fico, who had hoped to rule with one smaller coalition partner, said building a new coalition in a highly fragmented parliament would take time and be tough, given the “very complicated” election results. | Fico, who had hoped to rule with one smaller coalition partner, said building a new coalition in a highly fragmented parliament would take time and be tough, given the “very complicated” election results. |
| “As the party that won the election we have the obligation to try build a meaningful and stable government,” Fico told reporters. | “As the party that won the election we have the obligation to try build a meaningful and stable government,” Fico told reporters. |
| “It will not be easy, I am saying that very clearly.” | “It will not be easy, I am saying that very clearly.” |
| Fico, who dismisses multiculturalism as “a fiction”, has pledged never to accept EU-agreed quotas on relocating refugees who have flooded into Greece and Italy from Syria and beyond. | Fico, who dismisses multiculturalism as “a fiction”, has pledged never to accept EU-agreed quotas on relocating refugees who have flooded into Greece and Italy from Syria and beyond. |
| Slovakia has a tiny Muslim minority. It has not seen any large numbers of refugees pass through its territory. | Slovakia has a tiny Muslim minority. It has not seen any large numbers of refugees pass through its territory. |
| Opponents portray him as an inefficient and unsavory populist who ignores the need to reform education and healthcare. However, most opposition parties in the predominantly Catholic country agree with Fico’s hardline stance on Muslim immigrants. | Opponents portray him as an inefficient and unsavory populist who ignores the need to reform education and healthcare. However, most opposition parties in the predominantly Catholic country agree with Fico’s hardline stance on Muslim immigrants. |
| If Fico fails to put together a government, a group of centre-right parties could try to form a broad but possibly unstable anti-Fico coalition, a repeat of the 2010 election. | If Fico fails to put together a government, a group of centre-right parties could try to form a broad but possibly unstable anti-Fico coalition, a repeat of the 2010 election. |
| Any centre-right coalition would include the libertarian Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, which held second place in the partial results with 11.5% of the vote. The party’s refusal to provide guarantees for a bailout of Greece brought down the previous centre-right government in 2012. | Any centre-right coalition would include the libertarian Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, which held second place in the partial results with 11.5% of the vote. The party’s refusal to provide guarantees for a bailout of Greece brought down the previous centre-right government in 2012. |
| Slovakia is one of the euro zone’s most financially sound states, popular with foreign investors, particularly car makers. | Slovakia is one of the euro zone’s most financially sound states, popular with foreign investors, particularly car makers. |
| But unemployment of more than 10% and vast regional differences in wealth, as well corruption and low healthcare and education standards, have disappointed many voters. | But unemployment of more than 10% and vast regional differences in wealth, as well corruption and low healthcare and education standards, have disappointed many voters. |
| The results showed Fico’s bet on immigration fears may have benefitted other candidates. The far-right radical group of central Slovak Governor Marian Kotleba won 8.2% of the vote, nearly three times more than opinion polls had predicted. | The results showed Fico’s bet on immigration fears may have benefitted other candidates. The far-right radical group of central Slovak Governor Marian Kotleba won 8.2% of the vote, nearly three times more than opinion polls had predicted. |
| Kotleba has in the past sported uniforms reminiscent of the Nazi-era Slovak state, and was investigated, but not found guilty of, spreading hatred toward the Roma minority. | Kotleba has in the past sported uniforms reminiscent of the Nazi-era Slovak state, and was investigated, but not found guilty of, spreading hatred toward the Roma minority. |
| A new anti-immigration party of businessman Boris Kollar also surprisingly crossed the 5% threshold to win seats. | A new anti-immigration party of businessman Boris Kollar also surprisingly crossed the 5% threshold to win seats. |