Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob's liberal Freedom Movement has narrowly won the parliamentary election, securing 29 seats in the 90-seat National Assembly, just one seat ahead of the right-wing SDS party led by Janez Janša, according to near-final results reported by France 24 and DW News. The election, held on Sunday, reflected a deeply divided electorate with the liberals gaining 28.54% of the vote and SDS close behind.
Exit polls cited by Politico Europe indicated Golob’s party received about 29.9% of the vote, while Janša’s SDS was at 27.5%, underscoring the tight race. Janša, a former prime minister and known right-wing populist, remains a significant political force despite losing narrowly to Golob’s pro-European, liberal coalition.
The narrow margin sets the stage for complex coalition negotiations as neither party reached a clear majority. Analysts suggest both sides will need to court smaller parties to form a stable government, which could affect Slovenia's future policy directions and its stance on European issues, as reported by The Star Malaysia and Euronews.
Further controversy emerged when Golob accused Israel of "genocide" and there were reports that the Israeli firm Black Cube allegedly tried to influence the election by circulating videos suggesting corruption in Golob's government, according to the Times of Israel. This claim has added an international dimension to the electoral contest and increased tensions between the government and opposition groups.
Observers will be closely monitoring coalition talks in the coming weeks, as the outcome will determine Slovenia’s political trajectory within the EU amid rising right-wing populism in the region. The ability of Golob’s liberals to secure partners could influence Slovenia’s legislative agenda and its position on key European challenges.
Robert Golob
Janez Jansa
Freedom Movement
Slovenia
Janez Janša
