Zuzana Caputova becomes Slovakia's first female president

JOE KLAMAR / AFP

Anti-graft lawyer Zuzana Caputova has created history by becoming Slovakia's first female head of state.

Despite having no political experience, she defeated high-profile diplomat Maros Sefcovic in a second round run-off vote.  

She won about 58.3 per cent of the votes, while Sefcovic secured 41.7 per cent.

Caputova rode on a campaign of change and vowed to end corruption in a country, which she said is run "by people pulling strings from behind".

The election follows the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak, who was looking into links between politicians and organised crime, alongside his fiancée in February 2018.