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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Slovakians vote for a new president in runoff

March 29, 2014

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakians are casting ballots in a presidential runoff that pits the country's popular prime minister against a businessman-turned-philanthropist.

Prime Minister Robert Fico and Andrej Kiska made it into the runoff after leading the first round on March 15. The 49-year-old Fico heads Slovakia's dominant leftist SMER-Social Democracy party, which he led to a landslide victory in 2012 that allowed the party to govern alone in this central European nation.

A victory Saturday for Fico would cement his power, something his 51-year-old challenger — a political newcomer — wants to prevent. Kiska wants to fight corruption and make the government more efficient.

A corruption scandal in 2011 involving privatization deals has left many Slovakians disenchanted with politicians. Fico was favored in the first round, but there have been no runoff polls.

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