(ANSA-AFP) - LJUBLJANA, 13 NOV - Slovenians were voting on
Sunday in a run-off poll expected to elect the country's first
woman president -- a lawyer linked to former US first lady
Melania Trump. Natasa Pirc Musar, backed by the centre-left
government, is running against ex-foreign minister Anze Logar, a
veteran of conservative politics, in the EU country of two
million. A lawyer, Pirc Musar was hired to protect the interests
of Slovenian-born Trump during her husband's presidency,
stopping companies attempting to commercialise products with her
name. She is forecast to win just slightly above 50 percent of
the vote ahead of Logar who is on between 44 and 49 percent,
according to the latest polls. Pirc Musar, who headed the
country's data protection authority for a decade, says her
victory would make her "the voice of women" in Slovenia and
abroad. Though the president's role is largely ceremonial, the
human rights advocate has vowed to be a "moral authority". "The
president cannot be neutral... and have no opinion... I have
never been afraid to speak out," the former television
presenter, 54, told AFP. Pirc Musar, who is a keen motorcyclist,
has come under attack because of her husband's lucrative
investments -- especially in tax havens. Her opponent Logar, 44,
also ran as an independent but is a long-time member of the
Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) of Janez Jansa, who failed in
his bid to be re-elected as premier in April. - 'More balance'
- Critics accused Jansa of attacking media freedom and the
judiciary and undermining the rule of law in his latest term in
office. Logar plays the cello and is a keen mountaineer who
cycled to the presidential debates. "It is good if the president
represents a different view than the ruling coalition -- (it)
provides more balance... which is better for a democratic
system," Logar told AFP ahead of Sunday's vote. Newspaper
columnist Uros Esih said Pirc Musar has surrounded herself with
"strong advisers", allowing her to compete with the relatively
more experienced Logar. But Logar would "more likely be a mere
instrument" of Jansa's party, Esih said. Logar came first in the
first round last month when the centre-left votes were split
largely between Pirc Musar and another candidate. Analysts say a
low turnout would favour Logar, but polls predict about half of
those eligible will vote, as in the first round, putting Pirc
Musar ahead. Polling stations opened in the former Yugoslav
republic at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and are due to close at 7:00 pm,
with partial results expected later the same day. Incumbent
Borut Pahor, a former Social Democrat, could not run for
re-election after having held the post for two five-year stints.
bk/jza/gw/jm/yad
/ (ANSA-AFP).
© Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved