Slovenia's president faces former actor in runoff vote
opulation of around 2 million, has about 1.7 million voters
10 November, 12:55Critics say, however, that Pahor is simply avoiding taking a stand on important issues. He has been nicknamed Slovenia's "King of Instagram" for his frequent presence on social media.
___ THE COMPETITION Pahor's opponent, Marjan Sarec, is an ambitious opponent who has won support from many Slovenians fed up with the political elite in the small EU state. Sarec was a well-known satirical comedian who imitated politicians before entering politics himself in 2010 to run for mayor of Kamnik.
Sarec won against an established candidate and gave up acting so he could fully commit to the job. The 39-year-old is currently serving his second term as mayor. ___ WHAT OPINION SURVEYS SAY Pre-election surveys have suggested that Pahor could win some 56 percent of the votes, and Sarec around 44. Pahor finished first among nine candidates in the first round of voting in October with 47 percent - not enough to avoid a runoff - while Sarec had 25 percent. ___ WHY THE VOTE MATTERS Slovenia's presidency holds no executive powers. However, the president proposes the prime minister who runs the government and the office-holder's opinions carry weight on important issues. Key topics facing Slovenia include the economy, a border dispute with neighboring Croatia stemming from the 1990s' breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the future of the European Union, the large numbers of migrants and refugees who have reached Europe or are attempting to. ___ ELECTION DAY Slovenia, which has a population of around 2 million, has about 1.7 million voters. Polling places are set to open Sunday at 0600 GMT (1 a.m.) and close 12 hours later.
Initial results are expected a few hours after the polls close.
_____ Ali Zerdin contributed from Ljubljana, Slovenia. JOVANA GEC/