Ljubljana, Oct 24 (TIWN) Slovenia is slated to hold the second round of presidential election on November 13 after none of the candidates secured a majority in the first round.

The two candidates, Anze Logar, a member of parliament of the opposition centre-right Slovenian Democratic Party, and independent candidate, lawyer Natasa Pirc Musar, will compete in the second round, reports Xinhua news agency.  In the first round on Sunday, Logar received 33.9 per cent of the votes while Musar got 26.9 per cent, the State Election Commission said after counting 99 per cent of all votes.  The turnout stood at around 51 per cent. 

The rest of the votes were distributed among five other candidates each of whom received 15.4 per cent or less.  Prime Minister Robert Golob, head of the centre-left Freedom Movement, told the national TV Slovenia after the preliminary results were released that he expects Musar to win in the second round.  Although the role is mainly ceremonial, the President is the head of the Slovenian army and nominates many high officials, including the central bank governor.  Most of the nominations have to be confirmed by Prliament.  The new president is set to start the five-year mandate on December 23 and will replace the outgoing President Borut Pahor who is completing his second and final mandate.