Incumbent president leads in Slovenia presidential election

Incumbent president Borut Pahor is running for his second term against Marjan Sarec, mayor of the city of Kamnik. In the first round three weeks ago, Pahor got about 47% of the vote while Sarec followed with almost 25%.

Presidential candidates Borut Pahor (R) and Marjan Sarec answer questions from the media after the first round of the presidential election in Ljubljana, Slovenia October 22, 2017.
Reuters

Presidential candidates Borut Pahor (R) and Marjan Sarec answer questions from the media after the first round of the presidential election in Ljubljana, Slovenia October 22, 2017.

Slovenia's incumbent President Borut Pahor was in a tight lead in a presidential runoff after 5.1 percent of votes were counted, the election commission said shortly after the polls closed on Sunday.

Pahor, who is running for his second five-year mandate, won about 53 percent of the vote while his opponent, the mayor of the city of Kamnik Marjan Sarec, got 47 percent.

In the first round three weeks ago, Pahor got about 47 percent of the vote among nine candidates with Sarec, who is a former comedian and imitator, coming in second with almost 25 percent.

Opinion polls published on Friday suggested Pahor was still in the lead and would get between 52 to 56.3 percent of the vote. 

"The king of the Istagram"

Pahor, 54, is a former prime minister and a long-time leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, although he is running as an independent candidate.

He was Slovenian prime minister from 2008 to 2012, in the years which led to the worst financial crisis in Slovenia's history. In 2013, the country managed to only narrowly avoid an international bailout for its banks, burdened by a large amount of bad loans.

A former fashion model, Pahor is also known as "the king of the Instagram" for posting his photos on Instagram showing him in his official duties but also in various sports activities.

He has said he will focus on "connecting people, cooperation, political stability in security" if he gets another mandate.

Change of policy

Sarec, 39, claims a change of policy is needed to further improve economy and enable better life for Slovenians.

Sarec is supported by his own non-parliamentary centre-left party Lista Marjana Sarca, which has so far only been active on a local level.

Although the role of the president is mainly ceremonial, the president leads the army and also nominates several top officials, including the central bank governor. Most of his nominations have to be confirmed by parliament.

Sarec has said he will nominate a new candidate for the central bank governor in 2019, when Jazbec's mandate expires, while Pahor has said he will renominate Jazbec.

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