Official results from Slovenia's presidential elections show that former United Nations diplomat Danilo Turk will face the country's former Prime Minister Lojze Peterle in the November 11 run-off vote.
Turk beat out former Central Bank Governor Mitja Gaspari by less than 0.5 percentage point in the first round vote October 21.
Mr. Peterle received nearly 29 percent of the vote in the first round.
Five other candidates also ran in the first round.
The head of state is mainly a ceremonial position in Slovenia, but the president's views are influential on defense issues and foreign policy. The winner will succeed President Janez Drnovsek, who is retiring from politics.
Slovenia's economy has thrived since the south-central European nation gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and subsequently joined the European Union. Slovenia will hold the rotating EU presidency beginning January 1.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
