A populist, pro-Russia ex-premier looks headed for victory in Slovakia’s parliamentary elections

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russian and anti-American message looks to be heading for victory in the early parliamentary election in Slovakia, according to preliminary results.  With the results from almost 88% of about 6,000 polling stations counted by the Slovak Statistics Office, former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party is leading with 23.7% of the vote. The liberal, pro-West Progressive Slovakia party is a distant second with 15.6%. The election could test the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia.