Natasa Pirc Musar will be the first female president of Slovenia | International

The independent lawyer Natasa Pirc Musar, supported by the political center-left, won the second round of the presidential elections in Slovenia this Sunday. According to the scrutiny, with 90% of the votes counted by the Slovenian Electoral Commission, Pirc Musar has convinced 54% of voters against the right-wing candidate and former Foreign Minister, Anze Logar, who has remained at 46%. .

Pirc Musar, 54, a legal expert in data protection and transparency, will become the first woman to occupy the Head of State of this former Yugoslav republic. “Slovenia deserves more. All my life I have fought for the same values: for human rights, for the rule of law… So I did not have to prepare for this campaign”, said Pirc Musar, upon learning of the first results of the count.

He has also stated that during his presidency he will “cultivate the culture of dialogue” and advocate for “the rapprochement” of the political parties: “Between those on the left, the right, the green, yellow, old and young.” During the campaign, Pirc Musar, who has been the head of the Slovenian Information watchdog, showed her support for the LGTBIQ+ collective. She also highlighted her non-affiliation to any political party. A fact, which she explained, reaffirmed her independence. Although she also made clear her affinity for the center-left.

In fact, in the second round of the presidential elections, held this Sunday, the candidate was supported by the three government parties: the Freedom Movement (GS) led by liberal-ecologist Prime Minister Robert Golob; the Social Democrats (SD) and the Left (Levica). In the first, she alone was supported by the Pirate Party and the Greens. Years ago, the candidate worked as a journalist; she presented one of the main news programs in the country. Later, as a lawyer, she was hired by Melania Trump, of Slovenian origin, to advise her and manage a defamation case against a tabloid and, later, another that affected the interests of a trademark registered by the former first lady. American.

Although there were still votes to be counted, his rival, Anze Logar, a former foreign minister and former ally of former right-wing prime minister Janez Jansa, has already conceded victory to his rival. The ballots that remain to be added are not enough for a conservative comeback. “Elections are a celebration of democracy; the voters have decided”, said Logar, “Natasa Pirc Musar will be the first female president of Slovenia. Congratulations”. In addition, the conservative has invited her voters to congratulate her.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has also sent her congratulations to Pirc Musar for being elected the first woman to preside over Slovenia: “She has paved the way for future generations”, she said. Von der Leyen has also highlighted the Europeanism of politics. “We share the goal of a Union [Europea] increasingly strong, democratic and resistant”, he added.

Pirc Musar will succeed President Borut Pahor for a five-year term. The inauguration is scheduled for December 22. His victory continues the unbroken string of presidential victories by left-wing candidates, dating back to 1991, when the country was founded after the dissolution of Yugoslavia. He is also a reinforcement for Prime Minister Robert Golob of the green Freedom Movement party, who took power after this year’s general election with the promise of reversing radical changes pushed by the right-wing populist Janez Jansa.

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