Slovakia goes to the polls

Slovakia Saturday is set to vote for a new president, with front-runner, Zuzana Caputova facing European Union Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

The two candidates got the most votes in the first round a fortnight ago, but failed to gain the 50% needed to win.

Corruption and change have been the main themes ahead of the run-off vote, which takes place a year after journalist Jan Kuciak, who investigated high-profile fraud cases, and his fiancée were murdered at their home.

If elected, Caputova, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist with almost no political experience, will be the first female Slovak president.

Although the presidency is mainly a ceremonial role, Caputova is framing the election as a struggle between good and evil.

The election follows the murder of an investigative journalist last year.
Jan Kuciak was looking into links between politicians and organised crime when he was shot alongside his fiancée in February 2018.

Caputova cites Mr Kuciak’s death as her motivation for getting into politics and has led a campaign focusing on anti-corruption.

Slovakia’s president does not wield much day-to-day power but can veto appointments of senior prosecutors and judges, pivotal in the fight against corruption.

Via BBC