Zuzana Čaputová, nicknamed the “Erin Brockovich of Slovakia” is a Slovakian-born politician, lawyer and activist, currently serving as the first female president of the country. Known for her sincere dedication for political justice, and desire to reform corruption within the Slovakian government, she has dedicated her life and professional career to reformative activism.
Born in Bratislava on June 21 1973 Čaputová came from a working-class family, spending the first two decades of her life in the former state of Czechoslovakia, before its formal split into the Czech and Slovakia Republics in January 1993. She studied at and graduated from the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava, going on to work at a self-governing authority in Pezinok where she eventually rose to become the deputy head of the municipal legal department.
In 1998 Čaputová moved away from the governmental sector to work as an advocate for child victims of physical and sexual abuse. From this position she transitioned into a role at the VIA IURIS, a civic association, where she specialized in promoting justice within the political sector, often examining the ethical responsibility of public officials and advocating for transparency within management of public assets.
In the most prominent case of her pre-political career, Čaputová spent over a decade fighting the existence of a toxic landfill in her hometown. Winning this case prevented multiple forms of soil, air and water pollution and earned her the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016. She is the author and co-author of multiple publications and a member of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide.
In 2017 she was elected the deputy leader of Progressive Slovakia, a newly formed political party, and in 2018 she announced her decision to run for president. With the main goal of restoring trust between constituents and voters, Čaputováran her campaign on the basis of unity, societal justice, and the upheld protection of human rights and dignity.
After a groundbreaking majority of 58.41% of votes, she was elected the president of the Slovak Republic, resigning from Progressive Slovakia and currently serving unrepresented by a political party.
Her stances on policy, contrary to the conservative, Roman Catholic influence of her county, include support for both LGBTQ and reproductive rights. Though presidential roles in Slovakia are somewhat ceremonial compared to the responsibilities of the country’s prime minister, she has opened the way for a new, politically-progressive dialogue in her country, creating a legacy of female excellence and empathetic reform for Slovakia.