Slovakia May Hold Early Elections Despite Referendum Failure

Slovaks may go to polls this year even after a referendum to trigger an early general election failed on Saturday because of low turnout.

(Bloomberg) — Slovaks may go to polls this year even after a referendum to trigger an early general election failed on Saturday because of low turnout.

An announcement on an accord between ruling parties led by interim Prime Minister Eduard Heger to shorten their term in power and the date for an election could be reached in a matter of days.

The election, now likely to take place in September, may bring a shift in the nation’s politics given opinion polls that favor two leftist opposition parties, led by former premiers Peter Pellegrini and Robert Fico, respectively. The latter was the main organizer of the failed referendum, for which turnout was just 27%.

While Pellegrini has gained popularity by offering a vision of stable and firm leadership, Fico has made it clear he would end the nation’s assistance to Ukraine and would like to emulate the policies of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The ruling bloc led by Heger was ousted in December after his corruption-fighting ambitions were thwarted by constant bickering among parties.

President Zuzana Caputova gave Heger until the end of January to take the necessary steps to trigger early elections, warning that she would appoint a technocratic cabinet if he failed to do so.

Caputova has criticized the ruling parties for managing Slovakia in a chaotic manner that’s provoked frustration among voters, who now see more radical parties as an alternative.

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