A populist, pro-Russia ex-premier looks headed for victory in Slovakia's parliamentary elections

A populist, pro-Russia ex-premier looks headed for victory in Slovakia’s parliamentary elections

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Former Prime Minister Robert Fico arrives to his party’s headquarters after polling stations closed for an early parliamentary election, in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka addresses the media upon his arrival at his party’s headquarters during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka accompanied with his partner Sona arrives at his party’s headquarters during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka prepares to cast his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka stands near his daughter Tana as he casts his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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FILE - Former Slovak Prime Minister and head of leftist SMER - Social Democracy party Robert Fico arrives for an election rally in Michalovce, Slovakia, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. Fico leads his party in the upcoming early elections that are held in Slovakia on Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

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People walk past an election poster for Progressive Slovakia party a day before an early general election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The poster reads: “Enough of past and chaos. Let’s vote future”. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka smiles after casting his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka talks to his daughter Tana before casting his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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A Catholic nun casts her ballot at a polling station in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Slovakia holds an early parliamentary election that pits populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico who campaigned on a clear pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal pro-West newcomer. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

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FILE - Deputy chairman of the extreme right Kotleba - People’s Party Our Slovakia (LS NS) Milan Uhrik answers questions during an interview with The Associated Press at Slovakia’s Parliament in Bratislava on Oct. 12, 2016. Uhrik leads, as a chairman, his newly formed movement Republika (Republic) in the upcoming early elections that are held in Slovakia on Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

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People walk past an election poster for Slovakia National party a day before an early general election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The poster reads: “Together we will increase the pensions”. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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A man walks past an election poster for Progressive Slovakia party a day before an early general election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The poster reads: “Lets vote future”. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Voters fill their ballots at a polling station in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Slovakia holds an early parliamentary election that pits populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico who campaigned on a clear pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal pro-West newcomer. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

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CORRETS TO PARTNER SONA Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka accompanied with his partner Sona and daughter Tana leaves the polling station after casting his vote during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Former Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini addresses the media after voting at a polling station in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Slovakia holds an early parliamentary election that pits populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico who campaigned on a clear pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal pro-West newcomer. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

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CORRECTS TO PARTNER SONA Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka, right, accompanied with his partner Sona and daughter Tana, casts his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka addresses his supporters at his party’s headquarters during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka arrives on stage to address his supporters at his party’s headquarters during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Supporters of the Progressive Slovakia party react to the first exit polls during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of the Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka addresses the media after acknowledging the exit polls during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka addresses media during a press conference during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russian and anti-American message looked to be heading for victory in early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, according to preliminary results early Sunday.

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With results from almost 88% of about 6,000 polling stations counted by the Slovak Statistics Office, former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party led with 23.7 % of the vote.

A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, was a distant second with 15.6% of the votes cast Saturday.

With no party likely to win a majority of seats, a coalition government would need to be formed.

The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Fico’s former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, was in third with 15.4%. Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Fico’s chances to form a government.

“It’s important for me that the new coalition would be formed by such parties that can agree on the priorities for Slovakia and ensure stability and calm,” Pellegrini said after voting in Bratislava.

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The populist Ordinary People group was in fourth and the conservative Christian Democrats in fifth.

Two parties close to the 5% threshold needed for representation in the 150-seat National Council could be potential coalition partners for Fico — the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, an openly pro-Russian group, and the Republic movement, a far-right group led by former members of the openly neo-Nazi People’s Party Our Slovakia.

The pro-business Freedom and Solidarity party also could get seats.

Final results were expected to be announced later Sunday.

The election was a test for the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and a win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.

Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in Russia’s war if his attempt to return to power succeeded.

Michal Simecka, a 39-year-old member of the European Parliament who leads the liberal Progressive Slovakia, campaigned promising to continue Slovakia’s support for Ukraine.

Fico, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the U.S. should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. He has repeated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state.

Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights and threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deal with corruption and other serious crimes.

Progressive Slovakia, which was formed in 2017, sees the country’s future as firmly tied to its existing membership in the EU and NATO.

The party also favors LGBTQ+ rights, a rarity among the major parties in a country that is a stronghold of conservative Roman Catholicism.

“Every single vote matters,” Simecka had said Saturday.

Popular among young people, the party won the 2019 European Parliament election in Slovakia in coalition with the Together party, gaining more than 20% of the vote. But it narrowly failed to win seats in the national parliament in 2020.