(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – A former independence leader remains the most popular presidential candidate in Slovenia, according to a poll by Delo. 28.5 per cent of respondents would back Lojze Peterle—also a former prime minister—in this Sunday’s ballot.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – A former independence leader remains the most popular presidential candidate in Slovenia, according to a poll by Delo. 28.5 per cent of respondents would back Lojze Peterle—also a former prime minister—in this Sunday’s ballot.
International law professor Danilo Tuerk is second with 20 per cent, followed by Central Bank governor Mitja Gaspari with 16.9 per cent, and Zmago Jelincic of the Slovenian National Party (SNS) with 16 per cent.
The presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 21. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off would take place on Nov. 11.
Janez Drnovsek, leader of Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), has been the country’s president since December 2002. Drnovsek will not seek a new term in office. The president serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but is regarded as a mostly ceremonial dignitary.
Peterle led the Christian Democratic Party of Slovenia for about 20 years until it merged with other parties in 2000. He became prime minister in 1990 and declared Slovenia’s independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. In March 2006, Peterle was elected to serve as the vice-president of the European People’s Party (EPP) for a three-year term.
This year, Slovenia became the first of the 10 nations that joined the European Union (EU) in May 2004 to adopt the Euro.
On Oct. 10, Samuel Zbogar, Slovenia’s ambassador to the United States, praised the European country’s progress in economic and legal matters over the past few years, adding, "Once you start to negotiate (EU) membership, you get caught in an upward spiral. They tell you what kind of institutions you need" to develop.
Polling Data
Which candidate would you vote for in the presidential election?
|
Oct. 2007 |
Sept. 2007 |
Aug. 2007 |
|
|
Lojze Peterle |
28.5% |
27.9% |
30.8% |
|
Danilo Tuerk |
20.0% |
21.0% |
21.3% |
|
Mitja Gaspari |
16.9% |
17.1% |
16.1% |
|
Zmago Jelincic |
16.0% |
12.8% |
9.6% |
Source: Delo
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,029 Slovenian adults, conducted from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
