Natasa Pirc Musar, a human rights attorney has won the presidential election in Slovenia. She will become the nation’s first female president. Pirc Musar, who is 54 years old, won a runoff on Sunday with 53.86% of the votes. Her rival, Andze Logar, a former foreign minister, garnered 46.14% of the votes, according to data from the election commission based on 99% of the counted votes.
The head of state’s role in Slovenia, a NATO and EU member state, is largely ceremonial. However, the president nominates multiple officials, and this includes the central bank governor. Parliament must confirm most of the nominations. The president is also the army’s commander-in-chief.
Musar replaces Borut Pahor, a veteran politician. Pahor is a former fashion model and has served two 5-year terms. The public often refers to him as the Instagram president because he frequently uses it.
After casting his vote in Ljubljana, one voter, Uros Pinter, said that he expected Slovenia’s next leader to be attentive to the welfare of the citizens. He added that he thinks that the time is now right for a female head of state.
Musar was a television presenter before she became a lawyer. She based her campaigns on social welfare issues, the law, and human rights. Pirc Musar’s victory boosts Slovenia’s liberal bloc following the center-left coalition in the country’s parliamentary election in April.
The president-elect said that her first task would be opening a dialogue among every Slovenian. Her election team celebrated the statement. She also said that through the democratic election, Slovenians had shown the kind of country they wanted. Musar declared that she has advocated for the same values, namely human rights, democracy, and tolerance, all her life. She said it was time to cease dealing with the past and do other things for the nation’s benefit. Logar conceded defeat, stating that he hoped Pirc Musar would keep the promises she made during her campaigns.
