Slovenia may elect first woman president

Slovenians are voting in a presidential election run-off, with former TV presenter Natasa Pirc Musar hoping to beat right-wing politician Andze Logar and become the country's first woman president.

Although Logar came first in the first round on October 23, opinion polls have narrowly favoured a victory on Sunday for Pirc Musar, an independent candidate who has secured the support of the ruling coalition for the run-off.

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

The new president of Slovenia, an EU and NATO member state, will replace Borut Pahor, a former fashion model who served two five-year terms and is often referred in public as the Instagram president for his frequent use of the social network.

An opinion poll conducted by the Ninamedia agency published in the daily Dnevnik on Friday showed Pirc Musar winning 51.2 per cent of the votes, with Logar taking 48.8 per cent.

Pirc Musar, 54, a former TV presenter who is now an influential lawyer, campaigned on human rights, the rule of law and social welfare issues.

Logar, 46, is a member of the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) of former Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who lost April's general election to the environmentalist Freedom Movement of Prime Minister Robert Golob.

"Pirc Musar's victory would signify continued voter support for moderate centre-left politicians in the country, which until recently was governed by a right-wing populist government led by Janez Jansa," Teneo consultancy said in a note on Thursday.

Logar focused in his speeches on traditional family values and religion in the largely Roman Catholic country.