Slovenia's parliamentary election ended in a tight race between Prime Minister Robert Golob's center-left Freedom Movement (GS) and Janez Jansa's right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), according to preliminary results. Both parties won around 28% of the vote, leaving neither with a clear majority in the 90-member parliament.
Key Takeaways
Slovenia's parliamentary election resulted in a near-tie between Prime Minister Robert Golob's center-left Freedom Movement and Janez Jansa's right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), with both parties winning around 28% of the vote. Neither party secured a majority, leading to potential coalition talks involving smaller parties.
- Preliminary results show GS and SDS each won 29 seats
- Smaller parties will act as kingmakers in forming the next government
- Golob expressed confidence in forming a new government but acknowledged tough negotiations ahead
- Jansa claimed election discrepancies without providing evidence, calling stability into question
With nearly all votes counted, GS secured 29 seats, slightly ahead of SDS with 28 seats. Neither party is likely to form a government without the support of smaller parties, which will act as kingmakers. This outcome reflects deep political divisions among Slovenia's 1.7 million eligible voters.
Golob expressed confidence that his party will form the next government but acknowledged 'tough negotiations lie ahead.' Meanwhile, Jansa predicted there would not be much stability after the ballot and claimed election discrepancies without providing evidence, saying his monitoring team had noticed a discrepancy leaving the SDS 50,000 votes short.
The campaign was marred by allegations of government-tied corruption and claims of foreign meddling involving the Israeli private spy firm Black Cube. Authorities have opened a probe into these allegations, which both parties have denied. Golob called the alleged interference 'unheard of' in a democratic EU member state.
Golob's government has been a strong liberal voice in the European Union (EU), while Jansa, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, represents a right-wing populist stance. The election was seen as a key test for Slovenia's political direction.
Internationally, Golob's government has taken a pro-Palestinian stance, recognizing a Palestinian state in 2024 and banning top Israeli officials from entry. In contrast, Jansa is pro-Israel and has strongly criticized Palestinian recognition. The election outcome will significantly influence Slovenia's domestic and foreign policies.
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