President Zuzana Caputova won't run for re-election in next year's presidential election.
The head of state announced this at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, calling it one of the toughest decisions of her life.
"I've had the four professionally and personally toughest years of my life behind me and I'm in for the fifth one, which, likely, won't be any easier.
We all know that the past four years took place under the pall of many crises, Covid, the war in Ukraine, energy crisis and the record-setting inflation. I've carried out my mandate with four governments in four years and I'll appoint the fifth one in the autumn.
I greatly appreciate the confidence you all have in me, believe me, I'm fully aware of the obligation of this trust. Not letting down that trust, however, means carrying out this work with full determination and strength. Otherwise, it might happen that the presidential post would serve me and not I it and the country. Before announcing this decision, I had to assess my stamina to serve for an additional, counting from today, potentially six years. After a very honest consideration I know today that there's not enough strength left in me for another mandate," the President announced.
Caputova added that she also had to factor in more private reasons not to run, including family ones.
"Please, don't take my decision not to run as proof that decency cannot prevail. Decency can win elections, exercise a mandate and remain among the most trustworthy politicians. Decent and value-based politics can only be defeated if we stop believing in them. I still believe in them. My decision is a personal decision, seeing as having enough strength is a prerequisite that determines the quality of public service," she said.
The majority of political parties are not making plans for the presidential election yet, as their current priority is September's early parliamentary election. Some parties were waiting for the decision of the incumbent President. Richard Sulik-led SaS for instance, declared its support for Caputova, but can envision former foreign affairs minister Ivan Korcok (2020-22) as a worthy successor to her.
President Caputova's mandate will end in 2024. The head of state is elected in a direct election by citizens for a five-year tenure. Candidacy is approved if proposed by at least 15 lawmakers or by a petition with at least 15,000 signatures.
Read the reactions of Slovak politicians.
Source: TASR
