Slovakia’s former Prime Minister and chief of SMER-SSD occasion Robert Fico attends the occasion’s election marketing campaign rally, forward of Slovakia’s early parliamentary election in Banovce nad Bebravou, Slovakia, September 14, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Picture Purchase Licensing Rights
Sept 26 (Reuters) – The Slovak opposition SMER-SSD occasion, led by three-time prime minister Robert Fico, held a narrowing lead over its nearest challenger, the liberal Progresivne Slovensko, earlier than a Sept. 30 election, a Focus company ballot confirmed on Tuesday.
The Focus ballot, performed for TV Markiza amongst 1,017 contributors between Sept. 22 and Sept 26, put help for SMER-SSD at 18.0% to 16.6% for the non-parliamentary Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia).
Slovakia is holding an early election after a centre-right authorities coalition collapsed final yr and a caretaker authorities was put in in Might.
Fico’s occasion and others have pushed points reminiscent of unlawful migration and Slovakia’s help for neighbouring Ukraine, polarising Slovak society within the run-up to the vote.
Fico stop as prime minister in 2018 within the wake of mass protests that had been prompted by the killing of a journalist who had been investigating public graft lengthy perceived as widespread in politics.
Trying to return to energy, Fico has pledged to finish army help for Ukraine and oppose any sanctions on Russia that would damage Slovakia.
That might mark a pointy reversal in Slovak insurance policies, which Progressive Slovakia chief Michal Simecka has warned in opposition to and promised to keep up help for Ukraine.
The ballot, which gave eight events an opportunity of profitable seats, confirmed no contender gaining an outright majority. Coalition-building hinges on the efficiency of a handful of small events.
NOTE: threshold for events to win seats is 5% and seven% for coalitions
Celebration descriptions:
* SMER-SSD- Course-Slovak Social Democracy (leftist occasion of three-time prime minister Robert Fico)
* HLAS- Voice (leftist occasion of former prime minister Peter Pellegrini who cut up from SMER)
* Progresivne Slovensko – Progressive Slovakia (liberal occasion)
* SaS-Sloboda a Solidarita- Freedom and Solidary (liberal former ruling occasion)
* OLANO- Odd Folks and Impartial Personalities-OLANO (centrist, anti-graft former ruling occasion)
* Republika- Republic (far-right occasion)
* KDH- Christian Democrat Motion (Christian conservative occasion)
* SME RODINA- We Are Household (centrist former ruling occasion)
* SNS- Slovak Nationwide Celebration (nationalist occasion)
* DEMOKRATI- Democrats (centrist, pro-European occasion led by former prime minister Eduard Heger)
Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague; Enhancing by Alex Richardson
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.
