The ceremony took place in a high-security environment after the attempted assassination of his close ally, populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, a month ago. Peter Pellegrini called for national unity in his speech during a special session of Parliament in Bratislava. He became the sixth president of Slovakia since the country gained independence after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. « We are one nation, one society, one Slovakia, » he said. Mr. Pellegrini, 48, defeated pro-Western career diplomat Ivan Korcok in the second round of the presidential election on April 6. His victory strengthened Mr. Fico’s grip on power by giving him and his allies control of key strategic positions. He succeeded Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female head of state and a strong supporter of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion. She did not seek a second term in this essentially ceremonial position. Mr. Fico did not attend the ceremony as he is still recovering after being shot in the abdomen while greeting supporters on May 15 in the town of Handlova. His assailant has been arrested. Mr. Fico’s left-wing party, Smer (Direction), won the legislative elections on September 30 on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform. Pellegrini, who favors a strong state role, led the left-wing party Hlas (Voice) to third place in the election and joined a government coalition with Fico and the far-right Slovak National Party. His critics fear that Fico’s Slovakia will abandon its pro-Western orientation and follow the path of Hungarian populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Rallies in SlovakiaThousands of people have recently taken to the streets of Slovakia to protest against Fico’s pro-Russian policies and other policies, including his plan to amend the Penal Code and take control of public media. Mr. Pellegrini, who became Speaker of Parliament after the elections, has never questioned Mr. Fico’s policies. He was Fico’s former deputy in Smer when the latter became prime minister in 2018, after Fico was forced to resign following major anti-government street protests related to the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée. Mr. Pellegrini had temporarily parted ways with Mr. Fico after Smer, tainted by scandals, lost the previous elections in 2020, but their reunion led to the formation of Mr. Fico’s government. The president of this country of 5.4 million inhabitants chooses the prime minister after legislative elections, swears in the new government, and appoints judges to the Constitutional Court. He can also veto laws, although Parliament can override this veto with a simple majority and challenge them in the Constitutional Court. The head of state also has the right to pardon convicts. The government, led by the prime minister, holds most of the executive powers.
