BRATISLAVA — Bratislava mayor Matus Vallo remains in office, Kosice has elected a new mayor, and Slovakia's regional governors have retained their seats, The Slovak Spectator reported in results coverage of Saturday's combined local and regional elections, published early on Sunday.

Source: The Slovak Spectator via EU Agenda

The Spectator said the Kosice Region saw one of the tightest races, with incumbent governor Rastislav Trnka narrowly defeating his challenger. It did not give vote percentages in the summary carried by EU Agenda, and Awaaz Punjab is not adding figures that the results coverage did not publish.

Source: The Slovak Spectator via EU Agenda

4.4 millionvoters eligible in Slovakia's Saturday vote, DPA reported
8self-governing regions choosing governors and councils
Autumn 2027deadline for Slovakia's next general election

Polls closed on Saturday evening without any serious incidents, although the official close was delayed by almost an hour at some polling stations because of technical problems, DPA reported via Bytes Europe. An unofficial exit poll commissioned by the daily Dennik N had suggested a clear victory for the liberal incumbent Vallo in Bratislava, and the Spectator's separate exit-poll report said Vallo was well ahead of Transport Minister Jozef Raz, who was backed by the governing coalition.

Source: DPA via Bytes Europe

Observers regard the vote as an important barometer of public sentiment ahead of the general election, which must take place by autumn 2027, DPA said. The main focus was on how well the coalition of governing parties led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's government would fare against the liberal and conservative-populist opposition.

Source: DPA via Bytes Europe

Bratislava, which is relatively wealthy compared with the rest of the country, has long been regarded as a stronghold of the liberal opposition, while the governing coalition is stronger in smaller towns, DPA noted. EU Today, in its pre-vote coverage, said Vallo was supported by an alliance including Team Bratislava, Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and the Democrats, while Raz stood formally as an independent but serves as a minister in Fico's government.

Source: EU Today

The full official results from the electoral authority were expected on Sunday, DPA said. The results story is an update to Awaaz Punjab's earlier report on the vote as a test for Fico; readers should treat any figures beyond those stated here as awaiting the authority's final publication.

Awaaz Punjab's earlier report set out why Saturday's vote mattered nationally. Read the earlier report