LJUBLJANA, Slovenia –
An opposition liberal party won a convincing victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Slovenia, in a crushing defeat to populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa, according to initial official results. accused of pushing the small European Union country to the right while in office.
State election authorities said the Freedom Movement had won nearly 34 percent of the vote, compared with about 24 percent for the ruling conservative Slovenian Democratic Party, state election authorities said later. when counting more than 97% of the votes.
Behind the top two candidates is the New Slovenia party with 7%, followed by the Social Democrats with more than 6% and the Left with 4%.
The result means that the Freedom Movement, a new entrant to the election, is likely to form the next government in a coalition with smaller leftist groups. The party leader greeted supporters via a video message from his home because he had COVID-19.
“Everybody dances tonight,” Robert Golob told the cheering crowd at the party headquarters. “Tomorrow is a new day and serious work lies ahead.”
Jansa, an ally of right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, congratulated the “relative winner” of the election in a speech.
“The results are as they are,” Jansa said, praising the government’s work. “Many challenges lie ahead for the new government, whatever it may look like, but the foundation is very solid.”
A veteran politician, Jansa became prime minister more than two years ago after the previous liberal prime minister resigned. An admirer of former US President Donald Trump, Jansa has driven the country to right-wing populism since coming to power at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reflecting strong interest in Sunday’s election, turnout was higher than usual – about 67% of Slovenia’s 1.7 million voters cast their ballots, compared with 52% in the election earlier in 2018.
Golob, a former US-trained business executive, became a pioneer soon after entering politics. The Liberal Movement Party has supported the transition to green energy and sustainable development through Jansa’s ethnic-centered story.
Liberals have described Sunday’s election as a referendum on Slovenia’s future. They argue that Jansa, if re-elected, would push the traditionally moderate country further away from the EU’s “core” democratic values and towards other populist regimes.
Opinion polls ahead of the vote had predicted that the leading parties would be locked in a tight race.
Jansa’s SDS won the most votes in an election four years ago, but was initially unable to find a partner for a coalition government. He came to power after lawmakers from centre-left and left-wing groups switched sides following the resignation of Liberal Prime Minister Marjan Sarec in 2020.
Once in power, Jansa faced accusations of slipping under an Orban-style authoritarian rule that brought EU scrutiny amid reports that he pressured opponents and the media. mass, while also placing loyalists in key positions to control state institutions.
Democracy watchdog Freedom House recently said that “while political rights and civil liberties are generally respected (in Slovenia), the current right-wing government continues its efforts to undermine the rule of law.” rights and democratic institutions, including the media and the judiciary.”
