Slovakia's president appoints new coalition government

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Slovakia's president has sworn in a new coalition government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico following his party's victory in the parliamentary election.

Fico's leftist Smer-Social Democracy came first in the March 5 ballot with 49 of the 150 seats in Parliament and secured a majority government with three other parties: the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party, the conservative Net party and a party of ethnic Hungarians.

Over the last four years, Smer governed alone.

Fico remains the prime minister and his Smer dominates the new government with eight other posts, including the foreign, interior and finance ministries.

The other three parties will have six ministry posts altogether.

Fico campaigned on a strong anti-migrant ticket and favors a welfare state and strong role of state in the economy.