An ally of Slovakia’s populist prime minister is preparing a run for president

The speaker of Slovakia's Parliament, Peter Pellegrini, a close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, announced on Friday he will run for president. Pellegrini, 48, is considered a favorite in the race for the largely ceremonial post, according to public polls. Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president, decided not to seek reelection.