A leftist party led by one of the few leading politicians in Slovakia to escape voter anger over a major corruption scandal has been propelled back into power in an early parliamentary election, according to final results today.

Slovakia’s parliament has voted to amend the constitution to allow a caretaker government to lead the country until early elections.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was today expected in Bratislava to meet his Slovak counterpart Mikulas Dzurinda for talks that should focus mostly on issues related to the European Union.

US President George W Bush is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to reverse Moscow’s recent retreat from democratic reforms, while seeking to refresh his “close relationship” with his Russian counterpart.