The central political event of this year in Slovenia - the regular elections to the 90-seat National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia - took place at 3,578 polls around the country on Sunday, 15 October. The fourth multi-party and the third parliamentary elections since Slovenia's independence were won by the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), which received 35.87 percent of the votes after 90.50 percent of the ballots had been counted, show the preliminary, unofficial results of the Government Centre for Informatics. The Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS) attracted 15.71 percent and the United List of Social Democrats of Slovenia (ZLSD) 12.28 percent of the preliminary vote. According to these early unofficial results, eight parties will enter Parliament.
Each Slovenian citizen aged 18 on 15 October had the right to vote and the right to be elected as an MP. Slovenian citizens living abroad were able to vote by mail and at Slovenian diplomatic representations and consular missions. This was the first time that Slovenian citizens with permanent or temporary residence abroad were able to vote at the parliamentary elections directly at diplomatic representations and consular missions. So far, this was possible only at the presidential elections in 1997. Those who live abroad were also able to vote by mail, and only those ballots which arrive in Slovenia by 20 October will be considered.
Polling stations around Slovenia were open from 7 am to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Slightly over 1,586,000 voters were able to cast their ballots at 3,578 polling stations in Slovenia and 31 stations at Slovenia's diplomatic missions abroad. Special polling stations were also opened in advance in all of the 88 electoral districts from 10 to 12 October so that all voters unable to attend the parliamentary elections on 15 October could cast their votes.
In carrying out the elections in eight electoral units and 88 electoral districts, an important role was played by 98 electoral commissions, headed up by the Republic Electoral Commission. The Commission is the main body concerned with elections in Slovenia, taking care of the standard application of the electoral legislation and directing the work of the lower bodies involved in elections - the electoral commissions and 3,578 electoral boards that took care of voting around Slovenia on 15 October. A total of 24,000 people were employed in order to physically carry out the elections. A special election team at the Office of the Slovenian Ombudsman was constantly updated on the election process on Sunday. Anyone who believed their rights had been violated was able to contact the Office on a toll-free telephone number. Cost-free telephone calls to the Ministry of the Interior for complaining against any electoral violations were also possible. There, voters could also get information regarding the electoral register.
The Interior Ministry reported that it had received 134 reports of infringements of the election calm on Saturday and Sunday. The majority of infringements involved allegations of taking down or vandalising campaign posters. The Ombudsman's office reported it had received 70 calls from people seeking additional clarification about the elections or to point out possible election irregularities. The office added that no major infringements had occurred.
Voters in the municipalities of Ljubljana and Postojna were invited to cast their votes in referenda held parallel to Sunday's parliamentary elections. The municipality of Ljubljana organised a referendum to establish citizens' opinions on the formation of city districts, whilst Postojna voters put on record their feelings about the closure of the Poček military exercise ground.
All six parliamentary parties and five non-parliamentary parties had filed their lists of candidates in all eight electoral units, while the five other non- parliamentary parties and six individuals ran in only a few electoral units. Among parties running in all electoral units were the parliamentary parties: the SLS+SKD Slovenian People's Party (SLS+SKD); the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS); the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS); the United List of Social Democrats of Slovenia (ZLSD); the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS); and the Slovenian National Party (SNS). In addition, there were the non-parliamentary parties - the Democratic Party of Slovenia (DS), the New Party (NOVA), the New Slovenia - Christian People's Party (NSi), the Youth Party of Slovenia (SMS), and the United List of Green Parties (Slovenian Greens and Green Alternative of Slovenia). The Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS) and the New Slovenia - Christian People's Party (NSi) had previously signed an agreement on the formation of Coalition Slovenia under which the two parties agreed to co-operate at the elections.
Five non-parliamentary parties ran in only a few electoral units: Go, Slovenia!; the Communist Party of Slovenia; Women's Voice Slovenia; the Regional Party of Styria; and the Democratic Action Party of Slovenia. There were six independent candidates running as well: Hinko Stakne; Peter Črtomir Gorjanc; Franc Planinšič; Mojca Ferle Brezavšček; Valter Skok; and Mirko Justin. Representatives of the Italian and Hungarian minorities, for each of whom one parliamentary seat is reserved by law, also ran in the elections. For the representative of the Italian minority, a candidacy was filed only by the present MP Roberto Battelli, whilst for the representative of the Hungarian minority in the National Assembly candidacies were filed by Janez Somi, Maria Pozsonec (present MP), Jozef Kocon jr., Jozsef Mursics and Jozef Hančik.
A total of 1,007 candidates contended for 88 seats in the National Assembly at this year's general elections.
As many as 38 candidates running for parliamentary seats this year managed to secure over 35 percent of the vote in their electoral districts. Up to 34 of these are members of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. Among the LDS' outright winners were Janez Drnovšek, former Prime Minister, Dimitrij Rupel, former Foreign Minister, Borut Šuklje, former Interior Minister, Pavel Gantar, former Minister for the Environment, Slavko Gaber, former Education Minister, Jožef Školč, former Culture Minister, Majda Širca, former Culture Ministry State Secretary, and Jelko Kacin, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for International Relations. The leader of the Social Democrats (SDS), the second-placed party, Janez Janša, also garnered more than 35 percent of the vote.
According to the early unofficial figures of the Government Centre for Informatics, the election turnout was around 70 percent.
The 1996 parliamentary elections took place under a proportionate electoral system with a 3-percent election threshold, national lists and according to the d'Hondt system. Seven political parties then managed to exceed the parliamentary threshold, namely the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS, 25 seats), the Slovenian People's Party (SLS, 19), the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS, 16), the Slovenian Christian Democrats (SKD, 10), the United List of Social Democrats of Slovenia (ZLSD, 9), the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS, 5) and the Slovenian National Party (SNS, 4).
Voter turnout stood at 73.7 percent in 1996. At the first parliamentary elections following Slovenia's independence in 1992, turnout was 85.6 percent with eight parties managing to get their representatives into Parliament.
It could also mean changes in the system for the handing out of mandates. The first session of the new Parliament however has to be called by 4 November at the latest.
President of the Republic Milan Kučan must call the first session of the newly-elected parliament within 20 days of the elections, i.e. on 4 November at the latest.
Until a new chairman of the Parliament is elected, the Parliament session will be chaired by the oldest MP. The term of office of Prime Minister Andrej Bajuk and his cabinet expires after the first session of the Parliament, but the Government must deal with day-to-day business until a new one is elected.
In accordance with the National Assembly's standing orders, President Kučan must propose a candidate for Prime Minister within 30 days of the Parliament being constituted. The President should consult the parliamentary parties before proposing his candidate.
The organisers of the press centre were the abovementioned Parliamentary PR and Media Office, the Government PR and Media Office as well as the Government Centre for Informatics. The latter also provided information about the elections on the Internet (http://www.sigov.si/elections/).
The National Electoral Commission organised press conferences at the centre during which it informed the press of the voter turnout.
The elections are expected to cost Slovenia some EUR 2.7 million, while EUR 2.2 million of this has been earmarked in the 2000 budget. The remaining funding is expected to be covered by the Government.
Government Centre for Informatics
* These are results after 90.50 percent of the ballots were counted.
Note: The first figure is the percentage of votes that a party has secured, while the second figure is the number of seats it would garner in the new 90-seat Parliament. Results of the 1996 vote are in brackets.
Dr Janez Drnovšek, President of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS):
"I'm very happy with this being a clear landslide victory even
if the results are not yet final. Given the election outcome, it will
be much easier to form a government coalition after this year's
elections than it was four years ago. The LDS will wait for the final
results showing which parties have actually entered Parliament. The
final results will also show how many coalition partners the LDS needs
to secure a parliamentary majority. We're going to engage in talks
mainly with those parties that have previously had an interest in
reaching an agreement with the LDS. Such parties are chiefly the
United List of Social Democrats (ZLSD) and the Party of Pensioners
(DeSUS), while the Coalition Slovenia (consisting of the Social
Democrats (SDS) and the New Slovenia (NSi)) have not shown any
interest in talks. Given the result, I could hardly say no to
accepting the office of prime minister. I am convinced that talks on
the future government coalition will bear fruit."
Janez Janša, President of the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS):
"The results whereby the Social Democrats won about 16 percent
of the votes could hardly be better considering the developments of
the past four months with the Government facing internal and external
attacks. The SDS signed a coalition agreement with the New Slovenia -
Christian People's Party before the elections and the SDS can
therefore lead negotiations only within this coalition. On the basis
of the preliminary results, I expect that the future government
coalition will be that forecasted by the head of state, which was
obvious the moment the Parliament changed the Constitution and made it
clear that the elections would be held under the system of
proportional representation. The elections were legal and the outcome
legitimate, but morally contentious."
Borut Pahor, President of the United List of Social Democrats of Slovenia (ZLSD):
"I attribute the party's success to the fact that it has
worked hard for four years and now that has paid off. I believe it is
too early to think about the possible coalitions, but I am convinced
that Slovenia deserves a government that guarantees economic and
social progress to the country and its people. Our party prefers a
centre-left coalition or possibly a broad coalition. The current
election results see certain new parties entering Parliament,
something I believe is good. Some form of new plurality has emerged
and I do not see this as a hurdle to reaching consensus on development
and changes."
Dr Franc Zagožen, President of the SLS+SKD Slovenian People's Party:
"Our party wished and expected more from these parliamentary
elections, meaning that we are not exactly satisfied with the
result. The party was aware before the elections that it was in a
difficult position, because of the merging, separation and attack of
the coalition partners, which harmed the party. Despite that, I thank
the voters for their support. Some voters who were obviously in doubt
preferred to stay at home, which is indicated by the poor turnout.
I am convinced that Slovenia needs a party like ours, therefore it
will build itself up again, therefore the party will consider any
further moves only after an analysis has been made."
Dr Andrej Bajuk, President of the New Slovenia - Christian People's Party (NSi):
"I'm very pleased with the current result, and I expect we're
going to improve even further.
Our success is even more apparent if we take into account the
circumstances in which our party was established."
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