Natasha Pilz Musar, 54, worked as a journalist and lawyer and was the lawyer representing Melania Trump, wife of former U.S. President Trump. Today, she will be the first female president of Slovenia in an EU country.
In the second round of the presidential election on November 13, local time, Musar was successfully elected as the new president of Slovenia with 54% of the votes, defeating former Foreign Minister Ange Logar, who received 46% of the votes.
Musar will be officially sworn in on December 23 to begin his five-year presidential term as the current President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, known as the "President of Europe".
The first female president
This will be the first time since Slovenia's independence in 1991 that Slovenia has hosted a female president.
Slovenia held the first round of voting in the presidential elections on 23 October this year. With none of the seven candidates receiving more than half of the votes, the top two voters, Logar and Moussar, entered the second round of voting on 13 November.
The Associated Press reported that before the second round of voting, many analysts predicted that both Slovenian middle voters and liberal voters were expected to support Musar.
Musar is an independent candidate who has the support of Slovenia's center-left government. Her rival, Logar, is a conservative right-winger who served as foreign minister in the government of former right-wing Prime Minister Yanez Janša. Janša lost to environmental activist and Freedom Movement leader Robert Golob in April's parliamentary elections.
On October 23, 2022, local time, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Logar delivered a speech. Photo/IC photo
According to the BBC, the Slovenian Electoral Commission said on November 13 that the turnout in the second round of the presidential election was about 49.9%, with Musar receiving about 54% of the vote and Logar receiving about 46%.
Soon after the results were announced, Logar conceded defeat, saying he hoped Mussar "will deliver on all the promises [she made during the campaign].
Slovenia is a parliamentary state, with the prime minister as the head of government and the president more of a ceremonial position. But as head of state, the president also enjoys some authority. According to the Associated Press, Slovenia's president can nominate the prime minister and members of the Constitutional Court, as well as appoint members of the anti-corruption committee. In addition to this, the President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
"I will do everything I can to be a president for all people, working for basic constitutional human rights and democratic rights." Mussar told reporters after announcing his victory.
Slovenia, with a population of only 2 million, is a member of the European Union and NATO. Musar said Slovenia had elected a president who "believes in the European Union, in the democratic values on which it was founded."
She also referred to the much-discussed issue of climate change, saying that "young people are putting the responsibility on politicians and want [us] to take care of our planet so that our next generation, our children and grandchildren will live in a healthy and clean environment."
On November 13, 2022, local time, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Musar led his opponent Logar with 54.03% of the votes, and was elected the first female president of Slovenia. Photo/IC photo
Musar will succeed current President Pahor. Pahor is a former fashion model who has been the President of Slovenia since 2012. Pahor is a social media Instagram influencer known as "Europe's Instagram president." United Press reported that he regularly posted photos of himself and other world leaders such as Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II on Instagram.
He was Melania's personal lawyer
Musar was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1968 and studied law at the University of Ljubljana. But she started her career as a journalist and news anchor, working on several Slovenian news channels and television platforms. She also received additional training at CNN and journalism at Salford University in the UK.
In 2004, Musar was elected Information Commissioner of Slovenia, a position he held for 10 years. The main responsibilities of this position are to supervise the security of personal information and protect the public's right to obtain information. From 2015 to 2016, she was President of the Slovenian Red Cross.
Although his early career focused on the media sector, Mussar did not give up his legal studies and career. After ending his tenure as Information Commissioner in 2014, Mussar founded his own law firm. In 2015, she received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Vienna.
Musar is one of Slovenia's most respected lawyers, and she is best known for having helped her with many cases as Melania Trump's lawyer.
Former US President Trump and his wife Melania. Photo/IC photo
Trump's wife, Melania, was born in Slovenia and was a model before marrying Trump. In 2016, Musar sued Slovenian Suzy magazine on behalf of Melania, which had suggested in reports that Melania had been a senior escort, according to the BBC. The parties eventually reached an out-of-court settlement.
In addition, during Trump's presidency, Mussar also acted as Melania's personal lawyer, preventing some businesses from promoting goods under Melania's name.
During the presidential campaign, Mussar focused on human rights, the rule of law and social welfare. She promised to be a "female voice" and a "moral authority" president in the future.
However, Ms. Mussar has also faced some controversy, with media outlets pointing out that she and her husband have a network of lucrative companies, saying they have transferred some of their wealth to tax havens.
Beijing News reporter Xie Lian
Edited by Zhang Lei Proofread by Liu Yue