Incumbent Borut Pahor has won Slovenia's run-off presidential election on Sunday, beating his challenger Marjan Sarec.

With nearly 80 percent of votes counted so far, Pahor received 53 percent of ballots to Sarec's 46 percent, according to the country's electoral commission. Voter turnout in the country of 1.7 million was a record low 37.5 percent.

Sarec, the mayor of the northern Slovenian town of Kamnik, conceded defeat and congratulated Pahor after the results were announced.

Opinion polls before the election had indicated a narrowing gap between the two candidates after Pahor won a large lead in the first round on October 22.

Pahor, a former prime minister who led the Social Democrats until 2012, did not campaign as a member of any party. He nonetheless received the backing of his former party.

The president's office is largely ceremonial in Slovenia with the prime minister and the parliament holding most of the political power.

amp/jlw (AP, dpa)