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Slovakia's commissioner takes unpaid leave to run for presidency
By EUobserver
EU commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Friday he would run for president of Slovakia in March's election, backed by the ruling Smer party. Sefcovic will take unpaid leave from his position at the EU executive from 1 February, a commission spokesman said. Centre-left Smer has been leading in the polls, but sought a fresh candidate for the election, after it lost support following the murder of an investigative journalist.