Slovakia elected its first female president in trend-breaking election

Slovakia elected its first female president on Sunday.

Environmental lawyer and government critic Zuzana Caputova handily defeated her opponent, Maros Sefcovic, vice president of the European Commisssion, by a count of 58 percent of the vote to 42 in a run-off vote. Both candidates are considered pro-Europe, though Sefcovic argued that Slovakia should retain more decision-making powers.

The 45-year-old Caputova, who has been called liberal, said she views her election as a signal for change. Her victory runs counter to trends in Europe, which has seen populist, Euro-skeptic parties increasingly make gains throughout the continent.

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Caputova campaigned to end corruption in Slovakia, where a journalist, Jan Kuciak, who investigated high profile fraud cases, and his fiancée, Martina Kusnirova, were murdered last year. Caputova said the crime sparked her candidacy. She is also supportive of LGBTQ rights in a country where same-sex marriage and adoption are not yet legal.

The office of the president, similar to several countries in Europe, wields little day-to-day power, but Caputova will be able to appoint prime ministers and veto appointments of senior prosecutors and judges, which will likely be key in her fight against corruption.