Populist Slovak ex-prime minister signs coalition deal with 2 other parties to form a new government

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister of Slovakia who plans to end the country’s military support for Ukraine has signed a coalition agreement with the leaders of two other parties to form a new government. Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction won the Sept. 30 parliamentary election by capturing 42 seats in the 150-seat legislature. He needed to find coalition partners to rule with a majority. Fico has inked a deal with Peter Pellegrini, the head of the left-wing Hlas, or Voice, party and Andrej Danko of the ultra-nationalist and pro-Russia Slovak National Party.