Zuzana Čaputová, a rare liberal win
Zuzana Čaputová, a political novice, pro-EU liberal lawyer, and anti-corruption activist, won the presidential election on Saturday. She got 58% of the vote in the second round, while Maroš Šefčovič (Smer) received 42%; turnout fell to 42%. Her victory is the result of her unusually unconfrontational campaign as well as the atmosphere in the country after the murder of reporter Ján Kuciak that brought to light links the Slovak and Italian mafia have to top politicians, judges, and prosecutors. Slovakia is a welcome diversion from the trend of populist, nationalist and anti-EU politics sweeping the continent (rare liberal win, writes Financial Times on its cover page today). Čaputová’s election also puts an end to Robert Fico’s plan to finish out his career as chairman of the Constitutional Court. Her victory, though, could mobilize anti-system voters in the 2020 general election.
