Zuzana Caputova, a 45-year-old lawyer from the western Slovakian town of Pezinok, was elected the president of Slovakia, becoming the first woman to be at the helm of the country, the State Election Commission announced after the presidential election on Saturday.
“After we have processed data obtained from 96.8% of the polling stations across the country – Zuzana Caputova received 58.3% of the votes,” the commission said in a statement. “Her opponent Maros Sefcovic secured the support of 41.7% of votes.”
The voters’ turnout was reported to reach some 42% out of 4.5 million of eligible voters in Slovakia, which has a population of about 5.5 million. Political scientists from Bratislava claim that it was the lowest turnout in the history of elections in Slovakia, which elects the president every five years since 1999.
Caputova, a lawyer from Pezinok in western Slovakia, has served as Deputy Chairperson of non-parliamentary party Progressive Slovakia. Sefcovic currently serves as Vice-President of the European Commission.
Addressing a news briefing at her election campaign headquarters on Saturday, Caputova said she would work in the interests of uniting all citizens of Slovakia.
“I will be doing my best uniting Slovaks and to win the trust of those he did not support me at the election,” she said. “I accept with honor the duties assigned to me by the people of Slovakia.”