Leftist opposition wins big in Slovakia polls

Preliminary results show a leftist opposition party in Slovakia is heading for a landslide victory in an early parliamentary election.

With the votes from about two thirds of all polling stations counted by the Statistics Office early Sunday, Smer—Social Democracy of former Prime Minister Robert Fico is a clear winner with 46 percent of the vote, or 86 seats in the 150—seat Parliament.

The result would allow Fico to govern alone.

Fico, a populist leader, is pledging to maintain a welfare state, increase corporate tax and hike income tax for the highest earners.

The outgoing centre-right, four-party coalition would combine for just 48 seats as it faced voter anger over a major corruption scandal. The new Ordinary People would win 16 seats.