In Slovakia, people are at the ballot box for the presidential election

In Slovakia, people started voting as of 07:00 local time to determine the new president.
The public in Slovakia is heading to the ballot box for the presidential election. The voting process, with approximately 4.3 million registered voters in the country, started at 07:00 local time. In the election, which will continue until 22:00, 9 candidates are competing. Among the candidates, Parliament Speaker Peter Pellegrini and former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, supported by the opposition, stand out.
The current President Zuzana Caputova announced that she would not run for a second term.
In Slovakia, with a population of approximately 5.4 million, a total of 5,938 voting points will be used for voting. Unofficial initial results are expected to be announced tonight after the completion of the voting process, with official results expected tomorrow.

Russia-Ukraine divide among candidates
Among the strongest candidates, Pellegrini, supported by Prime Minister Robert Fico with his pro-Russia statements, while the EU-oriented politician Korcok is known for his pro-Ukraine political line.
If Pellegrini wins the elections, it is expected to further strengthen the power of Prime Minister Fico, who is accused of trying to control the media and easing anti-corruption laws. Pellegrini’s victory is predicted to lead the country further away from the EU.

Candidates are close in the polls
Recent polls indicate that the votes of two candidates in the presidential race are very close. A public opinion poll released by Ipsos suggests that Pellegrini will receive 37% of the votes, while Korcok will receive 36%.
If none of the candidates obtain a sufficient majority in the election, the second round of elections will be held on April 6 between the two candidates with the highest votes.