A close ally of populist prime minister tops a pro-Western diplomat to become Slovakia’s president

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Presidential candidate Pellegrini votes in 2nd round of Slovak elections

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Slovak presidential candidate Korčok votes in 2nd round elections

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini smiles at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Pellegrini is a close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico known for his pro-Russian policies. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Supporters of the presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini celebrate at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Pellegrini is a close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico known for his pro-Russian policies. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok arrives to his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok won the first round of voting two weeks ago after receiving 42.5% of the votes. The pro-Western career diplomat faces Peter Pellegrini, who finished second with 37%, for the largely ceremonial post. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, adresses the media at his election headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, gestures at his election headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, smiles at his election headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok greets supporters as he arrives to his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok won the first round of voting two weeks ago after receiving 42.5% of the votes. The pro-Western career diplomat faces Peter Pellegrini, who finished second with 37%, for the largely ceremonial post. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok is at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok won the first round of voting two weeks ago after receiving 42.5% of the votes. The pro-Western career diplomat faces Peter Pellegrini, who finished second with 37%, for the largely ceremonial post. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, speaks to media after casting his vote in a presidential runoff in Rovinka, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok prepares to cast his vote in a presidential runoff in Senec, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok leaves the polling station after casting his vote in a presidential runoff, in Senec, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok speaks to the media after casting his vote in a presidential runoff in Senec, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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People wait in line to cast their vote for a presidential election at a polling station in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok with his wife Sona cast their votes a presidential runoff in Senec, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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People drink coffee by a poster for Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, one of the candidates in the upcoming Slovak presidential election, in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday, April 5, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Pedestrians walk past a poster for Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, one of the candidates in the upcoming Slovak presidential election, in Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday, April 5, 2024. A pro-Western career diplomat and a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico are facing each other in a presidential runoff on Saturday to determine who will be the next head of state. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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People arrive to cast their vote for a presidential election at a polling station in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, smiles after casting his vote during the second round of the presidential election in Rovinka, near Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, arrives to cast his vote in a presidential runoff in Rovinka, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, poses for a photo with his supporter after casting his vote in a presidential runoff in Rovinka, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, casts his vote during the second round of the presidential election in Rovinka, near Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, who currently serves as Parliament’s speaker, arrives to cast his vote during the second round of the presidential election in Rovinka, near Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok with his wife Sona leave the polling station after casting their votes a presidential runoff in Senec, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Voters in Slovakia headed to the ballot stations Saturday to elect a successor to Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president and a staunch backer of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion, who isn’t seeking a second term. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini is at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Pellegrini is a close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico known for his pro-Russian policies. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Supporters of the presidential candidate Ivan Korcok look dejected at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Supporters of the presidential candidate Ivan Korcok look dejected at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok addresses supporters at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok won the first round of voting two weeks ago after receiving 42.5% of the votes. The pro-Western career diplomat faces Peter Pellegrini, who finished second with 37%, for the largely ceremonial post. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, centre, addresses supporters at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, early Sunday, April 7, 2024. A close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, centre right, beat a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia’s new president, and succeed Zuzana Caputova, the country’s first female head of state. Parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini received 53.85% of the vote with the ballots from over 98% polling stations counted by the Statistics Office in Saturday’s runoff election, topping former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok who had 46.14%.(AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Peter Pellegrini, centre left,, addresses supporters at his headquarters after a presidential runoff in Bratislava, Slovakia, early Sunday, April 7, 2024. A close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, second right, beat a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia’s new president, and succeed Zuzana Caputova, the country’s first female head of state. Parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini received 53.85% of the vote with the ballots from over 98% polling stations counted by the Statistics Office in Saturday’s runoff election, topping former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok who had 46.14%.(AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok, centre, addresses his supporters after a presidential runoff at his headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, early Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico beat a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia’s new president, and succeed Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female head of state.

Parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini received 53.26% of the vote with the ballots from almost all polling stations counted by the Statistics Office in Saturday’s runoff election, topping former Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok who had 46.73%.

“I can promise I will be a president of all Slovak citizens,” Pellegrini said. “I can promise I’ll be always by the side of Slovakia.”

Pellegrini becomes Slovakia’s sixth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Čaputová, a staunch backer of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, didn’t seek a second term in the largely ceremonial post.

Pellegrini’s victory cemented Fico’s grip on power by giving him and his allies control of major strategic posts.

The president of the nation of 5.4 million people picks the prime minister after parliamentary elections, swears in the new government and appoints Constitutional Court judges. The president can also veto laws, though Parliament can override the veto with a simple majority, and challenge them at the Constitutional Court. The head of state also has the right to pardon convicts.

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The government, led by the prime minister, possesses most executive powers.

Fico’s leftist Smer (Direction) party won Sept. 30 parliamentary elections on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform.

Pellegrini, 48, who favors a strong role for the state, heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party that finished third in the vote and joined a governing coalition with Fico and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party.

Critics worry Slovakia under Fico will abandon its pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The new government immediately halted any arms deliveries to Ukraine. Thousands have repeatedly taken to the streets across Slovakia recently to rally against Fico’s pro-Russian and other policies, including plans to amend the penal code and take control of the public media.

“A majority of people in Slovakia said that they prefer this way of ruling,” Fico said in his comments.

Korčok was critical of the government’s moves that the protesters fear could undermine the rule of law while Pellegrini backed the new government and didn’t question its policies.

Korčok is the former ambassador to the United States and Germany, who also served as the country’s envoy to NATO and the European Union. He firmly supports Slovakia’s EU and NATO memberships.

He conceded the defeat and congratulated the winner.

“I’m disappointed,” he said about the result.

Pellegrini, who was Fico’s former deputy in Smer, became prime minister in 2018, after Fico was forced to resign following major anti-government street protests over the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancee.

Pellegrini had temporarily parted ways with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer lost the previous election in 2020.

With Pellegrini’s win, Fico rebounded from two straight presidential election losses. Fico was defeated at the presidential vote by Andrej Kiska 10 years ago while Čaputová claimed victory over a candidate he supported in the 2019 ballot.