SLOVAKIA: POLITICS - Polls open in second round of Slovakian presidential elections

Record ID: 858276

  • Title: SLOVAKIA: POLITICS - Polls open in second round of Slovakian presidential elections
  • Date: 29th March 2014
  • Summary: BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA (MARCH 29, 2014) (REUTERS) FLAGS ON EXTERIOR OF POLLING VENUE MAN ENTERING POLLING VENUE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE REGISTERING TO VOTE AND CASTING VOTES WOMAN PUTTING BALLOT PAPER IN WHITE BOX AND EXITING ROOM EXTERIOR OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE SLOVAK FLAG ABOVE THE PALACE ROOF (SOUNDBITE) (Slovak) BRATISLAVA RESIDENT, DARINA, SAYING: "I don't want just one party ruling everything here. I have had enough of the Smer party and of Fico being in charge." (SOUNDBITE) (Slovak) RESIDENT, ALEXANDER PUKERT, SAYING: "I believe in Fico because he has experiences. That's why I vote for him." PEOPLE WALKING IN THE FRONT OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA (MARCH 28, 2014) (REUTERS) BRATISLAVA CASTLE PRIME MINISTER ROBERT FICO BILLBOARD READING (Slovak): "READY FOR PEOPLE" ANDREI KISKA BILLBOARD READING (Slovak): "HEART, INTELLIGENCE AND CHARACTER"
  • Embargoed: 13th April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Slovakia
  • City:
  • Country: Slovakia
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACGFBF06XKMX29VM2J1BF3C2SM
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  • Story Text: Polls opened for the second round of Slovakia's presidential elections on Saturday (March 29).
    Slovak Prime Minister and Smer Party leader Robert Fico faces independent candidate, businessman turned philanthropist Andrei Kiska, in the election runoff.
    Voters in the central European country gave the centre-left leader a disappointingly lukewarm endorsement in the first round of voting two weeks ago amid fear the 49-year-old would amass too much power, which some see as unhealthy for democratic checks and balances.
    In the second round, bookmakers give an edge to political newcomer Andrej Kiska, a businessman turned philanthropist who is riding on the wave of anti-Fico sentiment among right-wing voters as well as distrust in mainstream political parties suspected of complicity in graft scandals.
    A Fico victory in the second round vote would give his centre-left Smer party full control of all the main power centres in the euro zone country of 5.5 million, even if the Slovak constitution does not grant the president himself a huge political role.
    Fico, who has led the country since sweeping a parliamentary election in 2012, won 28 percent of the vote to Kiska's 24 percent on Saturday, a smaller margin than opinion polls had indicated. There have been no fresh polls since the first round.
    The president has the power to name or approve some of the main figures in the country's prosecution and judicial branches, and this right has led to political clashes in the past.
    Rule of law is a key concern for Slovaks as well as foreign investors, the source of economic growth in the past decade.
    Bratislava voter Darina said she wanted to devolve power away from politicians and that it was time for new faces.

    "I don't want just one party ruling everything here. I have had enough of the Smer party and of Fico being in charge," she said.
    Whilst another voter, Alexander Pukert, said the opposite preferring candidates he knows.

    "I believe in Fico because he has experience. That's why I vote for him," Pukert said.
    Polls close at 10pm local time (2100GMT) with results expected to follow overnight.
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