Elections Cause Political Reshuffle in Slovenia
Parliamentary elections were held in Slovenia on Sunday, 3 October. According to unofficial partial returns the Republic Electoral Commission reports that the most votes were gained by the Slovene Democratic Party (SDS). According to the first returns, seven parties have made it across the four-percent threshold. 60% of registered voters participated in the elections. We asked the chairmen of the first and second-ranked parties, Janez Janša and Anton Rop, for their opinions on the outcome of the elections.
Janez Janša, Chairman of the SDS: A much-needed political shift has occurred today in Slovenia. We are ready for it; we have the programme, we have the people. Today’s victory demonstrates the large amount of confidence the people have in the SDS. At the same time this is also a great responsibility for us for the future.
What in your opinion was the key to your party’s success?
I believe that above all we present a good alternative. The SDS was the first to present an alternative programme of government, and the first to submit a register of politicians for the governing team, and I believe that this was decisive. I am also happy about the fact that voter turnout for the elections was two and a half times higher than it was for the European parliamentary elections. This means that they are completely legitimate elections and that the result also reflects the great amount of awareness among Slovenes that you have to go to the polls and vote.
Will you invite the LDS into the coalition?
In principle we do not exclude anybody, but I think that any government which would include people who have held the floor for 12 years would not be a real alternative. That would mean mixing the old with the new, and I believe that that’s not what the people voted for. But at this point we still don’t know who will make up the future coalition. It will also depend on how our talks with the President of the country go and on the offer which will be tabled. We are willing to include anyone who is prepared and able to work for the common good. The policy of exclusion, which has been the rule up to the present, was not sufficiently forward-looking.
Anton Rop, Chairman of Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS): Our party will above all follow our programme, and I believe that the victors will first attempt to form a coalition without us. We can also help Slovenia a great deal as the opposition party, by operating as a constructive opposition or otherwise. I am sure that we would be the best opposition party that Slovenia has had to date. We will try to maintain the team of ministers and deputies which we have established. We will continue to fight for Slovenia, for a better future, and I promise that we will come to the next elections substantially stronger and better prepared.
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