Slovakia’s president, who has faced years of attacks by the opposition for her commitment to transatlantic ties and support for Ukraine, said she won’t seek re-election in 2024.
(Bloomberg) — Slovakia’s president, who has faced years of attacks by the opposition for her commitment to transatlantic ties and support for Ukraine, said she won’t seek re-election in 2024.
President Zuzana Caputova, one of four female heads of state in the 27-member European Union, said in a statement on Tuesday she won’t run again as she lacks energy to face another five-year term in office.
Slovakia’s opposition leaders led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico have spread a narrative of Caputova as serving foreign interests. Fico, who’s said he’ll stop military aid to Ukraine if he returns to power, has surged to the top of the polls ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for Sept. 30.
“Please do not see my decision to not run as a proof that you can’t succeed with decency,” she said. “I still believe in it.”
Caputova, a strong advocate for minorities and LGBTQ rights, stood out in Slovakia for her firm support for Ukraine and for being a key figure in efforts to rid the nation of 5.4 million of corruption.
At a rally last year, Fico could be seen grinning as the crowd chanted an obscenity against Slovakia’s Caputova. He’s repeatedly referred to the head of state as an “American agent.”
Ukraine Support Faces New Hurdle as Slovak Leader Eyes Return
A Slovak court later rejected such accusations as false and illegal, saying the opposition must refrain from spreading them. Still, she’s remained the target of verbal attacks and threats as the snap vote nears.
Despite the attacks, Caputova has remained the country’s most credible politician, according to polls. The surveys show that she’s a clear favorite if she were to run again.
In a television interview with the public broadcaster in December, she spoke of being the target of “cruel, brutal personal attacks” for allegedly serving other powers.
“What’s worse is that people who threaten to kill me use the language of these politicians and I find that dangerous,” the 49-year-old president said. “That’s way over the line for me.”
(Adds quote from president’s statement in fourth paragraph)
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