Robert Fico, who won Slovakia's parliamentary election on Saturday by appealing to anti-western and pro-Russian sentiment, may lead the European Union nation for the fourth time after once again shifting political gears to appeal to a changing electorate.
During a three-decade career, Fico, 59, has skilfully weaved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic anti-Brussels and anti-American positions while showing a willingness to change course depending on public opinion or changed political realities.
His campaign call of "Not a single round" for Ukraine appealed to voters in the nation of 5.5 million where only a minority in the NATO member country believe Russia is at fault for the Ukraine war. "He puts them in the first place. And that should be the role of an elected politician, to look after the interests of his voters and his country."
After the 1989 fall of Communist rule, he worked as a government lawyer, won a seat in parliament under the renamed Communist party, and represented Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights. Those shifts in the past have given belief to foreign diplomats that he may find a pragmatic way with European and NATO partners again, especially given that a far-right party he may ally with under some scenarios did not win any seats on Saturday.
Polling under 10%, Fico once sought to address voter fears during the coronavirus pandemic when he slammed government health measures.
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