Run-off election on April 6

Slovakia: 1st election round surprisingly goes to Korcok

Ivan Korčok

(Bild: AP)

The victory in the first round of the Slovakian presidential elections has gone surprisingly clearly to the liberal career diplomat and former Slovakian foreign minister, Ivan Korčok. After more than 99.9 percent of the votes were counted, Korčok was unexpectedly well ahead of the government candidate from the left-leaning Hlas (Voice) party with 42.5 percent. Parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini only received around 37 percent. The run-off election will take place on April 6.

In concrete figures, Korčok beat Pellegrini by over 120,000 votes. The Social Democrat therefore did not live up to his role as favorite. The majority of voter polls had seen Pellegrini as the winner of the first election round shortly before the ballot. The remaining nine candidates also fell well short of expectations.

The third-placed candidate, the right-wing nationalist former chairman of the Slovak Supreme Court, Štefan Harabin, ultimately received less than 12 percent of the vote. The remaining candidates did not even achieve three percent. Voter turnout was over 51%, which was significantly higher than estimated.

Pellegrini somewhat hesitantly acknowledged his defeat on election night. "I congratulate Ivan Korčcok, we both made it to the second round," he said at his election headquarters. He expects "a tough duel" ahead of the run-off, but wants to maintain his previous decency.

"We have taken a big step"
The result of the first round looks hopeful and encouraging, said the ex-diplomat. "We have taken a big step, but the road ahead of us now begins anew," he said. He therefore had both feet firmly on the ground. "In the second round, we have to do more to win," emphasized Korčok.

Fiercer election campaign expected
According to observers, the outcome of the first round could be an additional mobilization factor, especially for liberal voters who were convinced that the election winner had long been decided. A fiercer election campaign is also to be expected before the run-off. In the next two weeks before the final, both Pellegrini and Korčok will try to win over voters for the unsuccessful candidates.