Voters in Slovakia headed to the polls Saturday to elect a new president, with current Prime Minister Robert Fico tipped to defeat his 13 opponents in the first round of voting, according to dpa. A victory by Fico would serve to consolidate the power of the social democratic Smer party he leads and which holds more than half the seats in parliament. Two-term outgoing conservative President Ivan Gasparovic cannot run again under the constitution. A second round of voting between the top two candidates is likely to take place on March 29, as public opinion surveys indicate neither Fico nor his closest opponent, independent businessman Andrej Kiska, will achieve an absolute majority. Polling stations close at 10 pm (2100 GMT). Results are expected Sunday afternoon.
