Slovenia Starts Coalition Talks After Tight Election Result
Some observers warned the tight outcome could unsettle politics. "In the end of the day, we will very likely see a new government that will not be stable," said political analyst Miha Kovac.
Slovenia faces immediate coalition negotiations after an election produced no clear victor in a contest that could reshape both domestic priorities and the country’s foreign policy direction.
With nearly all ballots tallied from Sunday’s vote, Prime Minister Robert Golob’s liberal Freedom Movement (GS) and the right-leaning Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) of populist former premier Janez Jansa finished in a virtual tie.
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Neither party, as things stand, will reach the 46-seat threshold required for a majority in the 90-seat National Assembly, leaving smaller parties that clear the 4% barrier to decide who will govern.
Some observers warned the tight outcome could unsettle politics. “In the end of the day, we will very likely see a new government that will not be stable,” said political analyst Miha Kovac.
“For all these measures, we need more than just a weak majority,” Mr Golob said, adding he would invite “all democratic parties” in parliament for discussions.
With 99.85% of ballots counted, GS held 29 seats to SDS’s 28. Including their typical petit coalition partners, GS could command about 40 MPs while a bloc around SDS would total roughly 43 seats.
Janez Jansa, seeking a fourth term as prime minister, said his party would wait for the final certified results before opening coalition talks, leaving open the possibility a slim change in the tally could alter the balance.
Mr Jansa — who has expressed admiration for US President Donald Trump and maintains close ties with Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban — accused the election commission of miscounting, saying his monitors found a discrepancy that left SDS some 50,000 votes short; he offered no proof of the claim.
Slovenia, an EU member of about 2 million people, declared independence from a disintegrating Yugoslavia in 1991. Relative peace and a robust industrial sector have helped it outperform many Balkan neighbors in recent decades.
Mr Golob, who took office in 2022, steered Slovenia toward policies closely aligned with other European governments, while Mr Jansa has signalled a shift in international posture if he returns to power.
Under Golob, the government has pursued pro-European priorities and social reforms. Mr Jansa has proposed tax relief for businesses and plans to reduce funding for non-governmental organisations, parts of the welfare system and media outlets.