Populist Slovak ex-prime minister signs coalition deal with 2 other parties to form a new government
A populist former prime minister of Slovakia who plans to end the country’s military support for Ukraine has signed a coalition agreement with the leaders of two other parties to form a new government BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- A populist former prime minister of Slovakia who plans to end the country’s military support for Ukraine signed on Monday a coalition agreement with the leaders of two other parties to form a new government. Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, won the Sept 30 parliamentary election with 22.9% of the vote, taking 42 seats in the 150-seat legislature. He needed to find coalition partners to govern with a majority. Fico inked a deal with Peter Pellegrini, the head of the left-wing Hlas, or Voice, party, which placed third in the election and has 27 seats, and the ultra-nationalist and pro-Russia Slovak National Party, which has 10 lawmakers in the new parliament. Pellegrini was previously a senior member of Fico's party but broke away to form Hlas afte...