Slovak environmental activist Zuzana Caputova took a step closer to becoming her country’s first female president after winning the first round of nationwide elections, signaling a potential sea change for a country that has fallen victim to rampant corruption since it was established in 1993.

Among the 13 candidates vying for the presidency, Caputova secured 40.56 percent of the vote on Saturday, with more than 99 percent of all districts reporting.

She beat Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission vice president backed by the ruling centre-left Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party, which took the second place with 18.66 percent of the vote.

The two leaders will now compete in a runoff election scheduled for March 30.

The result follows an impressive campaign from Caputova, a lawyer with no public office experience who for years fought to clean up a toxic landfill.

Since she announced her candidacy a year ago, she has staged a meteoric rise in the polls as the anti-corruption candidate standing up to a government that has become increasingly unpopular since the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak last year.

“I see a strong call for change in this election following the tragic events last spring,” Caputova told reporters as she cast vote in her home town Pezinok. “We stand on a crossroads between the loss and renewal of public trust.”

With a population of just 5.54 million and half of all eligible voters casting their ballot in the election, it became impossible for any one candidate to win outright in the first round.

Slovakia’s election rules mandate a candidate take at least 50 percent of all eligible votes, not only among those who participated.

Caputova’s resounding first-round victory poses a potential threat to the current political establishment under Smer-SD, experts believe.

Though the party is pro-EU, it has used a populist platform to strengthen political support, taking a strong stand against migration and EU decision-makers in Brussels.

“The mood in Slovakia fundamentally changed following the murders of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova 13 months ago,” said Rick Zednik, an American-Slovak who established the English-language newspaper ‘Slovak Spectator’ in 1995.

Found shot dead at his home near Bratislava last February, Kuciak at the time was investigating an alleged connection between Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate and high-ranking officials in the Slovak government.

The high-profile murders of Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, months before their wedding, sparked the largest nationwide protests in Slovakia since the Velvet Revolution in 1989.

Weeks later, the then Prime Minister Robert Fico resigned from his post, but remained the head of his party.

“Caputova stepped into this context as a political outsider. That, along with her achievements as a public defender, made her a credible alternative to the political establishment,” Zednik told Al Jazeera, adding that her ascension could be an important factor in the run-up to the next parliamentary election in 2020.

Earlier this week, Slovak prosecutors formally charged a controversial businessman with alleged ties to the mafia with the murders of the 27-year-old Kuciak and Kusnirova.

While the role of the president in Slovakia is symbolic in many respects, it wields a limited but important role in policy, with veto power over any bill passed by the National Council.

The president can also shape the country’s currently vulnerable judicial system, with the ability to appoint judges to the Constitutional Court as well as the judicial council.

“We only have four judges [serving in the Constitutional Court] and we need nine more elected, and Slovakia is waiting for a new president to choose those judges,” said Martin Poliacik, a member of the liberal Progressive Slovakia party, of which Caputova is deputy chairman.

He hopes that her success could lead to further backlash against the tide of populism that has swept much of Europe in recent years.

“I think the outcome of these elections will show us how much Slovakia is crying for a change, and not only internally, but for regional civilisation,” he said.

“She would give hope to those other countries as well.” </s> Slovakia 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.

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

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.

The BBC's Rob Cameron in Bratislava says that although the presidency is mainly a ceremonial role, Ms Caputova is framing the election as a struggle between good and evil.

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

Ms Caputova gained prominence as a lawyer, when she led a case against an illegal landfill lasting 14 years.

Aged 45, a divorcee and mother of two, she is a member of the liberal Progressive Slovakia party, which has no seats in parliament.

In a country where same-sex marriage and adoption is not yet legal, her liberal views promote LGBTQ+ rights.

Her lack of experience places her in stark contrast with her opponent, Mr Secovic, who is a diplomat and vice president of the European Commission.

He is a member of the ruling Smer-SD party, which is led by Robert Fico, who was forced to resign as prime minister following the Kuciak murder.

In the first voting round, Ms Caputova won 40% of the vote, with Mr Sefcovic gaining less than 19%.

She is leading by a wide margin in opinion polls. </s> Slovakia could elect its 1st female head of state

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Voters in Slovakia are selecting a new head of state in a runoff that could give the country its first female president.

Zuzana Caputova, an environmental activist, is up against European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic in the vote for the largely ceremonial post in the nation of 5.4 million.

Caputova won the first round two week ago with 40.6 percent of the vote while Sefcovic was a distant second with 18.7 percent.

Caputova attracts voters appalled by corruption and mainstream politics. Sefcovic is a career diplomat who is supported by the leftist Smer-Social Democracy party, a major force in Slovak politics.

The winner will become the country's fifth head of state since Slovakia gained independence in 1993 after Czechoslovakia split in two.

Incumbent Andrej Kiska did not stand for a second term. </s> A liberal lawyer Zuzana Caputova won Slovakia’s presidential election on Saturday, making her the country’s first female head of state.

The government critic and anti-corruption activist Zuzana Caputova won about 58.3% of the vote. Her opponent European Union energy commissioner Maros Sefcovic who took 41.7%. In the first round of votes two weeks ago, Caputova won with 40.5% and Sefcovic trailed behind her with 18.7%.

Vice-chairwoman of the Progressive Slovakia party, Caputova supports gay marriage and adoption. She has also been dubbed “Slovakia’s Erin Brockovich” after winning a case that wanted to build an illegal landfill in her home town.

Sefcovic congratulated 45-year old Caputova on her win. </s> BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- A liberal environmental activist has been elected as the first female president of Slovakia.Relative newcomer Zuzana Caputova had 58 percent of the vote with almost 95 percent of returns counted in Saturday's runoff election, topping European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, who had 42 percent.Sefcovic conceded defeat and congratulated his rival."I'm extremely happy about the result," Caputova said. "It's an extremely strong mandate for me," she said."Zuzana, Zuzana," her supporters chanted.Caputova, 45, has little experience in politics and attracted voters who are appalled by corruption and mainstream politics.She only recently became vice chairman of Progressive Slovakia, a party so new it has not had a chance to run in parliamentary elections. Caputova resigned from her party post after winning the first round of the presidential vote two weeks ago.She becomes Slovakia's fifth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993.The president of the nation of 5.4 million people has the power to pick the prime minister, appoint Constitutional Court judges and veto laws. Parliament can override the veto with a simple majority, however. The government, led by the prime minister, possesses most executive powers.A lawyer by profession, Caputova is a rising star of Slovak politics. She became known for leading a successful fight against a toxic waste dump in her hometown of Pezinok, for which she received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016.A divorced mother of two, she is in favor of gay rights and opposes a ban on abortion in the conservative Roman Catholic country.She was also part of a campaign in 2017 that led to the annulment of pardons granted by former authoritarian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar.Sefcovic, 52, is a career diplomat who was supported by the leftist Smer-Social Democracy party led by former populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, a major force in Slovak politics that was tarnished by corruption scandals. He campaigned on a traditional family values ticket.Popular incumbent Andrej Kiska, who did not stand for a second term, backed Caputova in the vote.The two had supported the massive anti-government street protests last year triggered by the slayings of an investigative reporter and his fiancee that that led to the fall of Fico's coalition government. Investigators have linked Jan Kuciak's death to his work probing possible widespread government corruption.Fico's party has already suffered losses in local elections in November - the first votes since the largest demonstrations in the country since the anti-Communist Velvet Revolution of 1989. </s> BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Zuzana Caputova, an anti-corruption campaigner with no experience in public office, won the first round of Slovakia’s presidential election on Saturday, setting up a tough clash with the ruling Smer party’s candidate.

Slovakia's presidential candidate Zuzana Caputova speaks after the first unofficial results at a party election headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, March 16, 2019. REUTERS/David W Cerny

Although voters appeared to spurn Smer a year after the murder of a journalist which sparked mass protests, the party’s Maros Sefcovic, an EU Commissioner, could pick up support among those who prefer stability to the change offered by Caputova.

The killing of Jan Kuciak, who reported on fraud cases involving politically connected businessmen, triggered the biggest anti-government protests in Slovakia since communism ended three decades earlier. It also led to the resignation of then prime minister, Smer leader Robert Fico.

The government remains in power, but Smer’s popularity has slumped. On the first anniversary of Kuciak’s murder, thousands of Slovaks rallied to protest against what they see as a lack of government action on the corruption he uncovered.

With results from 99.4 percent of polling stations counted, Caputova was in pole position with 40.5 percent of votes, far ahead of Sefcovic, who had 18.7 percent.

As no candidate secured a majority of all votes cast in the European Union and NATO member country of 5.4 million, the pair will now contest a second round on March 30.

If elected, the 45-year-old Caputova, a pro-European liberal who belongs to the small, non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, will stand out among the populist nationalist politicians on the rise across much of Europe.

Endorsed by outgoing President Andrej Kiska, who did not seek reelection, Caputova has promised to end what she calls the capture of the state “by people pulling strings from behind,” while maintaining the course of Slovakia’s foreign policy.

“I see the message from voters as a strong call for change,” Caputova told reporters early on Sunday after her victory in the first round was clear.

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

The murder of Kuciak and his fiancee, who was shot dead alongside him, is still under investigation. The biggest breakthrough to date came just two days before the vote, when special prosecutors said they had charged businessman Marian Kocner, a subject of Kuciak’s reporting with connections across the political scene including with Smer, with ordering the murder.

“Caputova has a history of fighting for the common people as a public-interest lawyer and brings much-needed non-confrontational style and liberal values to the public debate,” Ivan Musak, 52, told Reuters at a polling station in Bratislava.

Caputova was dubbed “Slovakia’s Erin Brockovich” by fellow lawyers for leading a 14-year fight against an illegal landfill in her hometown, echoing the plot of a film that won Julia Roberts an Oscar.

But her pro-choice views and support for LGBT rights might alienate some voters in the socially conservative, ethnically homogenous country and complicate her way to become the first female president, analysts said.

Slideshow (16 Images)

“Sefcovic, painting himself as a Christian, experienced candidate with contacts abroad, has already launched the campaign for the second round with combative statements towards Caputova,” sociologist Sona Gyarfasova said, adding he would seek to mobilize those who did not vote in the first round.

Supreme court judge and former justice minister Stefan Harabin, who promised to fight immigration, came third with 14.4 percent of votes, while the leader of a parliamentary far-right party, Marian Kotleba, was fourth with 10.6 percent.

Both have labeled Caputova as extreme-left and too liberal. </s> Anti-corruption candidate Zuzana Caputova has won Slovakia's presidential election, making her the country's first female head of state.

Ms Caputova, who has almost no political experience, defeated high-profile diplomat Maros Sefcovic from the governing party in a second round run-off vote.

She framed 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.

Ms Caputova cited Mr Kuciak's death as one of the reasons she decided to run for president, which is a largely ceremonial role.

With almost all votes counted, she has won about 58 percent to Mr Sefcovic's 42 percent.

She gained prominence as a lawyer, when she led a case against an illegal landfill lasting 14 years.

Aged 45, a divorcee and mother of two, she is a member of the liberal Progressive Slovakia party, which has no seats in parliament.

In a country where same-sex marriage and adoption is not yet legal, her liberal views promote LGBTQ+ rights.

The opponent she defeated, Mr Sefcovic, is Vice President of the European Commission.

He was nominated by the ruling Smer-SD party, which is led by Robert Fico, who was forced to resign as prime minister following the Kuciak murder.

In the first voting round, Ms Caputova won 40 percent of the vote, with Mr Sefcovic gaining less than 19 percent. </s> Lawyer Zuzana Caputova will become Slovakia’s first female president after winning a run-off election Saturday against the country’s ruling party’s candidate.

The vocal government critic whose campaign slogan was “Stand up to evil” was largely unknown before she launched her presidential run in the eurozone member country of 5.4 million people.

Caputova, a pro-EU political novice, won the election with 58.3 percent of the ballot after results from 98.1 percent of voting districts were counted.

Official results are due on Sunday.

“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,” the 45-year-old environmental lawyer told a crowd of supporters.

Maros Sefcovic, who is backed by the ruling Smer party, took 41.7 percent of the vote. Sefcovic, an establishment figure who is the European Commission Vice President, conceded defeat and congratulated his rival.

Caputova won the ballot thanks in part to voter disillusionment with the governing coalition a year after the murder of a journalist investigating high-level corruption plunged the country into crisis.

She was among the tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets after Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were gunned down at home in February 2018.

Kuciak was about to publish a report on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia.

The then prime minister Robert Fico was forced to resign but he remains the leader of the ruling party and is a close ally of current premier Peter Pellegrini.

The European Parliament has urged Slovakia to look into “any possible political links to the crimes”.

MEPs voiced “concern about the allegations of corruption, conflicts of interest, impunity and revolving doors in Slovakia’s circles of power”.

Speaking to the AFP news agency on the campaign trail, Caputova said she would “initiate systematic changes that would deprive prosecutors and the police of political influence”.

Caputova, who gave up membership of the non-parliamentary party Progressive Slovakia before the run-off, has vowed to fight for justice for all and has also promised better care for the elderly and environmental protection.

Caputova is in favour of gay rights and opposes a ban on abortion in the conservative Roman Catholic country.

She becomes Slovakia’s fifth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. </s> Lawyer Zuzana Čaputová won the largest share of votes in Slovakia’s presidential ballot Saturday, making her the frontrunner ahead of a second round later this month.

Čaputová, a newcomer to politics who has run a campaign focused on tackling corruption, won 40.6 percent of the vote, ahead of government candidate and European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on 18.7 percent, according to the national statistics office.

The two will face off in the final round on March 30.

Voters’ support for Čaputová reflects the electorate’s frustration with Slovakia’s ruling Smer party, which has been the target of anti-government protests following the murder a year ago of journalist Ján Kuciak.

Čaputová, 45, has not previously held office. Vice-chairwoman of the recently formed pro-EU Progressive Slovakia party, she ran a campaign under the slogan “Let’s fight evil together,” Bloomberg reported.

Her message appears to have resounded with voters who took to the streets following the murder of Kuciak, who was investigating ties between officials and business at the time of his death.

In 2016 Čaputová won an environmental prize after campaigning in her hometown of Pezinok, near Bratislava, to shut down a hazardous garbage dump. Čaputová, who would be the first woman to hold the position if she wins in two weeks’ time, holds liberal views on both same-sex relationships and adoption.

Šefčovič took unpaid leave from his role at the Commission heading up the bloc’s energy union after announcing his candidacy in January, stating: “Our country needs a good, non-partisan president.”

The president in Slovakia does not wield day-to-day power but holds a veto over the appointments of senior prosecutors and judges, pivotal in the fight against corruption, Reuters reported.

Despite low unemployment and solid economic growth in Slovakia, the popularity of Smer has been plummeting. Smer’s Robert Fico resigned as prime minister last year following Kuciak’s death.

Two days before the vote, police in Slovakia said they charged businessman Marian Kočner with ordering the murder of Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová.

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Slovak citizens vote for a new president, with front runner Zuzana Čaputová facing Maroš Šefčovič.