Bratislava, 2 October 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Robert Fico, the three-time prime minister of Slovakia whose position on the war in Ukraine has raised alarm among Kiev's allies, has been asked by the president to form a new government.

Fico's left-wing nationalist party SMER-SSD won the Central European country's parliamentary elections at the weekend. He previously led Slovakia from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018.

President Zuzana Čaputová said on Monday the election was "democratic and in accordance with the law."

Fico's opposition party had garnered 22.9% of the vote. The liberal party Progresivne Slovensko (PS), which has never previously held seats in Slovakia's parliament, came in second place with 18%.

However, it will not be easy for Fico's party to form a coalition with a sufficient majority.

Before the election, Fico had vowed to only provide Ukraine with civilian support in the future, and stop military aid.

But almost all other parties elected to parliament want military aid to Ukraine to continue.

The third-placed party Hlas-SD led by former Fico deputy Peter Pellegrini will plays a decisive role in forming a government.

It was only founded in 2020 - as a spin-off from Fico's party.

While the SMER-SSD and the PS are hostile to each other, Pellegrini said he could imagine a coalition with either of them.