Tatiana Jancarikova : Anti-corruption lawyer Zuzana Caputova becomes Slovakia’s first female president

By Dilip -
Ms Caputova started her acceptance speech by thanking voters in Slovak, as well as in the Hungarian, Czech, Roma and Ruthenian languages, turning to all main minority groups. "I am happy not just for the result but mainly that it is possible not to succumb to populism, to tell the truth, to raise interest without aggressive vocabulary," she told a crowd of supporters.

Riding a wave of public fury over corruption, liberal lawyer Zuzana Caputova won Slovakia's presidential election on Saturday, bucking a trend that has seen populist, anti-European Union politicians make gains across the continent. Corruption and change in political style were the main themes ahead of the run-off vote, which took place a year after journalist Jan Kuciak, who investigated high-profile fraud cases, and his fiancé were murdered at their home.

“Stand up to evil”: Slovakia's first female president hails victory for progressive values

Ms Caputova, a pro-EU political novice who will be the euro zone country's first female president, had 58.3 per cent of the vote after results from 98.1 per cent of districts were counted, ahead of European commissioner Maros Sefcovic who took 41.7 per cent.

Mr Sefcovic, a respected diplomat who is also pro-EU, is backed by the ruling party Smer, the largest grouping in parliament that has dominated Slovak politics since 2006. Ms Caputova, who was the front runner after winning the first round more than 20 points ahead of Mr Sefcovic, campaigned to end what she called the capture of the state by people pulling strings from behind, a message that opinion polls show resonated with younger, educated voters... read more:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/slovakia-presidential-election-latest-zuzana-caputova-president-a8847726.html

Caputova is a political newbie who's anti-corruption campaign struck a chord in a country still grappling with the murder in February last year of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova. The murder -- and subsequent trial of Slovak businessman Marian Kocner who was charged with ordering the killing -- triggered some of the biggest protests seen in post-communist Slovakia and ultimately led to the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/31/europe/slovakia-elects-president-zuzana-caputova-intl/index.html

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