Meet Zuzana Caputova, Blonde Bombshell Lawyer And Slovakia’s First Female President

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. 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. The 45-year-old member of a liberal non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party – which she pledged to leave if elected – has been endorsed by opposition parties and a junior party in the ruling coalition that represents the ethnic Hungarian minority, as well as outgoing president Andrej Kiska.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. This started in the local election last year, was confirmed in the presidential election, and I believe the European (parliamentary election in May) will confirm it as well.”Photo Credit: Getty

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