Forty-five-year-old Zuzana Caputov was elected President of Slovakia on March 30th. She will be the first woman and the youngest person to be president of the country. A lawyer and human rights activist, Zuzana beat the Slovakian vice-president Maros Sefcovic with more than 58% of the votes. She will be sworn in on June 15th.

Anti-corruption

One of the main causes of Zuzana’s campaign was the fight against corruption (when a politician receives or gives money and assets in exchange for favours).

The issue pleased most voters who had taken to the streets in the past year to protest the death of Jan Kuciak, a journalist, and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova. Jan was writing an article that exposed government corruption. Politicians are being investigated for involvement in the couple’s death. Zuzana was one of the protestors.

The new president also defends environmental issues and is in favour of the European Union as well as respecting ethnic minorities (groups that share the same language and culture, but that are outnumbered or do not have much power in society).

History

Slovakia was part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire and of Czechoslovakia in the past. It became an independent country in 1993 and joined the European Union in 2014. Most of its residents are Slovaks, but there are several ethnic minorities such as the Hungarians, the Romas, the Czechs, the Rusyns, and the Ukrainians.

Location: Central Europe

Area: 49 thousand square km (slightly larger than the state of Espírito Santo)

Population: 5.4 million (less than the city of Rio de Janeiro)

Capital and largest city population-wise: Bratislava

Official language: Slovak

Currency: euro

QUESTIONS 

1) What is not true about the new president of Slovakia?
a) Zuzana is the youngest president in the country’s history.
b) She took part in anti-corruption protests.
c) One of the causes she defends is the environment.
d) She is against minority integration.

2) Do you know which are the ethnic minorities of Brazil? Give a few examples.

Ixi! Você bateu no paywall!

Ainda não é assinante? Assine agora e tenha acesso ilimitado ao conteúdo do Joca.

Assinante? Faça Login

Voltar para a home

Ou faça sua assinatura e tenha acesso a todo o conteúdo do Joca

Assine