As Prime Minister, Pellegrini enjoyed almost the same popularity as President Zuzana Čaputová at the beginning of this year, and to this day she draws on this popularity. After the parliamentary elections, he left the Robert Fico Direction-Social Democracy party and founded his own political entity.
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The direction reached more than 28 percent in the 2016 elections and even 44.41 percent in 2012 – and these voters did not get lost. “A large part of the former voters of the Direction support the new party, which also has the name Social Democracy in its name. Pellegrini must play it communicatively so that Hlas is the better social democracy than the previous one, “Lenč told the daily Hospodárske noviny.
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It will be important for Pellegrini that the latest revelations about the infiltration of organized crime that surround the Direction, such as accusations by the former police leadership, do not have a negative impact on the Voice. “It will be a critical and crucial situation for the Voice. If Pellegrini manages to do that, he only needs to collect more votes to remain the clear leader of the opposition, “Lenč emphasized. “However, they will be thrust in the Voice as far as the investigation of mafia practices goes,” the political scientist added.
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On the contrary, the preferences of the Direction are gradually declining, and the constant activity of the former Prime Minister Fica does not help either. On November 17, he even became a tribune speaker and actively spoke out in protests against Matovic’s coalition. “The dramatic fall from 44 percent in 2012 to today’s six percent will continue, even though Fico is doing everything to stop it,” Lenč predicts.
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Unlike Fico, Pellegrini did not take part in the anti-government protest and said that even if he did not agree with government regulations, he would not violate the ban on gatherings. “We would also go to the square, but we will not call for breaking the rules, because that would be the way to anarchy, not to freedom and democracy,” Pellegrini told supporters. Instead of protests in the squares, the Hlas party symbolically launched an internet poll on November 17, the aim of which is to shorten the election period and early elections.
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|
November voter favor |
(In percent) |
|
Voice-social democracy |
20,3 |
|
Ordinary people and independent personalities (OLaNO) |
16,6 |
|
Freedom and solidarity |
12,5 |
|
Progressive Slovakia |
7 |
|
People’s Party of Our Slovakia (LSNS) |
6,9 |
|
Direction |
6,3 |
|
We are a family |
5,8 |
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