Kiska becomes new Slovak president

Andrej Kiska has defeated Slovakia’s current prime minister Robert Fico in presidential elections by 18.8 percentage points, local media reported on Sunday 30 March.

“As the president I want to return dignity to the presidential office,” Kiska said shortly after seeing data confirming his win, as quoted by the Slovak Spectator.

Robert Fico had been tipped to win the race, as the official candidate of Slovakia’s ruling Smer party and the current prime minister. The surprisingly comfortable lead achieved by Kiska in the second round (59.4 percent to Fico’s 40.6 percent) has pundits indicating a broader rejection of the ruling party. Fico himself had styled the election as a “referendum on Smer,” according to the Slovak Spectator.

Kiska, a former businessman, is a newcomer to national politics although he was the first announce his candidacy almost two years ago. Fico emphasised his political independence during the race, proposing himself as a counterweight to established elites. However, all his first-round opponents moved in support of him for the second round.

Photo courtesy of Fusstsball