Slovenia’s ruling Freedom Movement (FM), led by Prime Minister Robert Golob, has secured a narrow victory in the country’s parliamentary election, as per preliminary results. With 99% of votes counted, the centre-left FM clinched 28.6%, slightly ahead of the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) at 28.2%, according to the State Election Commission. Voter turnout was approximately 68%, a decrease from the 71% recorded in the 2022 election.
In the 90-seat National Assembly, the FM is expected to secure 29 seats. The current coalition partners of FM, the Social Democrats and the Left, are projected to win a combined 11 seats, falling short of a parliamentary majority. On the other hand, the SDS is set to take 28 seats.
Three smaller parties – New Slovenia, the Democrats, and Resni.ca – are also anticipated to enter parliament, potentially playing a crucial role in coalition negotiations, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Following the release of preliminary results, Golob stated that his party aims to enhance the future for all citizens, recognizing that coalition discussions will be challenging. He has shown readiness to engage in talks with all parliamentary parties except the SDS.
Janez Jansa, a former three-time prime minister and leader of the SDS, expressed worries about the election outcome, cautioning that it might lead to an unstable government. President Natasa Pirc Musar is expected to nominate a candidate for prime minister in the upcoming weeks.
