Speaker and Hlas party leader Peter Pellegrini chairs a parliamentary session on January 8, 2023. (source: TASR)
Slovakia will elect its sixth president on Saturday, March 23, when the first round takes place, Speaker Peter Pellegrini announced on Monday.
The speaker of parliament announces the date of presidential elections in Slovakia. According to the constitution, presidential elections must be held at least 60 days before the end of the outgoing head of state’s term.
President Zuzana Čaputová will leave office on June 15. Facing numerous attacks from the now ruling coalition, she announced last year that she would not run for the post a second time.
In the history of presidential elections, the first round has always been followed by the second round as no candidate managed to obtain more than half of all the votes cast in the election. Should the situation repeat this year, the second round will take place on April 6.
Thus far, former foreign minister and diplomat Ivan Korčok, supported by two liberal parties Progresívne Slovensko and SaS, has announced that he will run for office. Another foreign minister and diplomat, Ján Kubiš, has managed to collect at least 15,000 signatures to join the presidential race as well.
A group of 15 MPs can also nominate a candidate for the post.
