Iva Rinčić Elected First Female Mayor of Rijeka

The news in Croatian

1. gradonačelnica  (f.)
   Osoba ženskog spola koja obavlja dužnost vođenja gradske uprave. ↩︎
2. pobijediti
   Osvojiti pobjedu u nekom natjecanju ili borbi. ↩︎
3. neovisan
   Koji nije pod utjecajem ili kontrolom drugih. ↩︎
4. kandidatkinja  (f.)
   Osoba ženskog spola koja sudjeluje u natjecanju ili se natječe za neku poziciju. ↩︎
5. pobjeda  (f.)
   Rezultat postizanja nadmoći nad suparnicima. ↩︎
6. iskrenost  (f.)
   Osobina osobe koja uvijek govori istinu i poštena je. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who did Iva Rinčić compete against in the election?

Question 2: What does Rinčić’s victory demonstrate about the citizens of Rijeka?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
gradonačelnica  (f.)	mayor
pobijediti	win
neovisan	independent
kandidatkinja  (f.)	candidate
pobjeda  (f.)	victory
iskrenost  (f.)	honesty

Read the full story

In a groundbreaking moment for the city of Rijeka, Iva Rinčić has emerged victorious in the second round of local elections, thereby becoming the city’s first female mayor in over fifty years. Her triumph has captured attention as she represents a shift from the longstanding dominance of male leadership, marking the end of half a century since the last woman held the office.

Rinčić faced competition from the incumbent, Marko Filipović, but managed to secure a decisive lead. This outcome is significant not only because of her gender but also due to her status as an independent candidate, contrasting with Rijeka’s history of political allegiance to established parties.

In an interview, Rinčić expressed her excitement, emphasising the symbolic nature of her win. “It’s amazing news for Rijeka,” she stated. “It’s wonderful that I’ve won as an independent in a city previously deemed unbeatable.” Her campaign seemed to resonate with the public’s desire for change, encouraging citizens to become more involved in the electoral process and not to be deterred by fear of the unfamiliar.

Reflecting on her victory, Rinčić highlighted the importance of authenticity and truth in politics. She believes that the support she garnered was due to her genuine approach, saying, “The people of Rijeka have shown that they value authenticity and have recognised the real message of change we are advocating.”

As Rinčić prepares to assume her new role, the spotlight is on her to deliver on her promises and demonstrate that the faith placed in her by the electorate was well-founded. Her leadership is expected to pave new paths and set a precedent for future leaders in Rijeka and beyond.

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