Trading Places: The Presidential Election in Slovakia

The frontrunner of the presidential election in Slovakia is the current prime minister, Robert Fico. His victory would consolidate the existing political order in Slovakia, based on the personal authority of the leader, and may even, in the long run, give it a formal framework in the form of increasing the constitutional prerogatives of the head of state. However, if the election were to run to a second round, mobilisation of undecided voters and Fico’s opponents could translate into a good result for his most likely rival, the non-partisan Andrej Kiska, who could become the dark horse of the presidential race.