A liberal lawyer and former data privacy commissioner backed by Slovenia’s centre-left government has been elected the country’s first female president after beating her conservative rival.
Slovenia marks a threshold as independent candidate Natasa Pirc Musar wins the presidential elections, with the support of the Slovenian Pirate Party and the European Green Party.
Independent presidential candidate Natasa Pirc Musar won the second round of presidential elections held in Slovenia this week. According to the information published on the official website of the State Election Commission (DVK), Pirc Musar received 53.86 percent of the votes and passed the 50 percent threshold. She was contesting against former foreign minister and right-wing candidate Andze Logar.
“The Slovenian people have chosen a president who believes in the democratic values on which the European Union (EU) was founded,” Musar said in a statement after her election victory.
Stating that the world is facing difficult times due to the climate crisis, Pirc Musar said, “The responsibility of taking care of our planet is on our shoulders so that our youth, children and future generations can live in a healthy and clean environment.”
As Reuters reports although the role is mostly ceremonial, the president is commander in chief of the armed forces and also nominates several top officials, including the central bank governor. Most of the nominations have to be confirmed by parliament.
Musar is also the lawyer of former US President Trump’s wife, Melania Trump. In 2016, Musar was Melania’s lawyer in a lawsuit filed for an article in the Slovenian magazine Suzy, alleging that Melania was working as an escort. She has also campaigned on human rights, the rule of law and social welfare issues.