Slovakia commenced its parliamentary elections with early voting on Saturday, highlighting a fierce contest between the former left-wing Prime Minister, Robert Fico, who vowed to cease military assistance to Ukraine, and pro-Western liberals.

Pre-election polls indicate a neck-and-neck race between the two parties in the run-up to Saturday’s voting. The victor will have the opportunity to establish a new government, replacing the interim administration that has governed the 5.5 million-strong country since May.

Should Fico emerge victorious, it would signal Slovakia’s alignment with Hungary as the only two EU member states challenging the bloc’s consensus on supporting Ukraine. This comes at a time when the European Union strives to maintain a unified front against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Neither Fico’s party, SMER-SSD, nor the Progressive Slovakia party led by Michal Šimečka, vice chairman of the European Parliament, is expected to secure an outright majority in these elections. Consequently, the future government will hinge on the results of several smaller parties, ranging from liberal to far-right.

Peter Pellegrini’s Voice party, a former member of SMER-SSD, and prime minister from 2018 to 2020, is anticipated to secure third place and may play a pivotal role in forming the new government.

Pellegrini has left his options open but conceded this week that his party is leaning closer to Fico.

Fico’s pro-Russian stance mirrors the sentiments within Slovak society, which has traditionally maintained relatively warm relations with Russia. This sentiment has been reinforced by pro-Russian narratives and disinformation campaigns on social media.

Michal Vašečka, a sociologist, remarked, “Fico has capitalized on the anxiety brought about by the pandemic (COVID-19) and the war (in Ukraine), the anger that has permeated Slovakia in recent years, and the fueling of that anger”.

Fico has pledged to halt military aid to Ukraine and expresses eagerness for peace talks. His position aligns closely with that of Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orbán, who faces opposition from Ukraine and its allies, contending that such a stance would only embolden Russia.

Fico has also voiced criticism of sanctions imposed on Russia.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m., and voting will conclude at 10 p.m.