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BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Slovakia's President issues mandate for government formation

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 2 Oct 2023 21:22
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

President Zuzana Caputova intends to grant leftist Robert Fico the authority to form a government in Slovakia following Smer's victory in Saturday's parliamentary election.

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  • Slovakia's President issues mandate for government formation following leftist Smer's victory.
    Chairman of Smer-Social Democracy party Robert Fico, center, discusses the results of an early parliamentary election during a press conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. (AP)

Slovak President Zuzana Caputova has formally given the Smer party a mandate to form a new government, according to Teraz.sk news agency.

Under the leadership of former prime minister Robert Fico, the leftist Smer party won the parliamentary election on Saturday, amassing nearly 23% of the vote

Fico and the Smer party have a strong stance against providing military assistance to Ukraine. However, the Slovakian party must receive the support of at least 76 members of parliament to form a government.

Smer currently holds 42 seats meaning that it will need to form a coalition government with a number of smaller parties.

"Those were democratic and lawful elections. I am glad that no one questions it," the country's President stated.

Caputova also said that he intends to grant Fico authority to form the cabinet.

For his part, Fico urged patience from Slovak citizens as the government is being formed, saying it may take up to two weeks. If the country fails to vote in a government, it may face another round of parliamentary elections.

Related News

Slovak President blocks military aid to Ukraine

A viable option for Smer is to ally with third-place leftist Hlas and the Slovak National Party, which have won 27 seats and 10 seats respectively, to form a simple majority.

The defeated liberal Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka has promised to block Fico from taking over.

Read more: ‘Not a single round for Ukraine’ Slovakia’s Fico wins parliament

Smer's victory: A sign of growing anti-West ideals

Slovakia, historically sympathetic to Russia, has seen a significant shift in its political landscape. Fico's election platform included stopping arms shipments to Ukraine and placing equal blame for the war on the West and Kiev.

This result coincides with growing concerns in both the US and the EU regarding the billions of dollars in military aid allocated to Ukraine amid increasing calls to redirect these funds toward domestic priorities.

In Central Europe, a region once characterized by strong anti-Russian sentiment, perceptions of the war have become more nuanced.

Fico's victory underscores this perspective, which is fueled by social conservatism, nationalism, and promises of generous welfare programs.

Read more: Slovakia election keeps West on toes amid pro-Russia shift in Europe

  • Zuzana Caputova
  • Smer Party
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Ukraine
  • Robert Fico

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