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Election Date: October 3, 2004

At stake: State Chamber

Background

Slovenia joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, following the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I. The Kingdom was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Slovenia—occupied by German and Italian forces during World War II—remained a Yugoslav republic until its independence in 1991.

Slovenia—the most affluent and politically liberated region of the former Yugoslavia—was able to enact a quick transfer to sovereignty, staying away from the ethnic violence clashes that took place in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In 2002, Janez Drnovsek—leader of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS)—won the presidential election in a run-off over former justice minister Barbara Brezigar with 56.5 per cent of the vote. Drnovsek had acted as Slovenia's prime minister since 1992, briefly losing his post for six months in 2000 to Andrej Bajuk after losing a no confidence vote.

The October 2000 State Chamber election resulted in a new mandate for the LDS-led alliance, which includes the United List of Social-Democrats (ZLSD), the SLS + SKD Slovenian People's Party (SLS+SKD) and the Democratic Party of Retired People of Slovenia (DeSUS).

Anton Rop of the LDS took over as head of government after Drnovsek's 2002 election, maintaining the coalition government.

In 2004, Slovenia joined both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Citizens had backed the country's entry into the two groups in a March 2003 referendum.

After independence, some Yugoslav citizens who had been born on other regions but resided in Slovenia, briefly lost their privileges. While the State Chamber later restored Slovenian citizenship for almost 18,000 Yugoslavs, voters rejected the decision in an April 2004 nationwide plebiscite.

In June 2004, Slovenia participated in its first election to the European Parliament. The New Slovenia Christian People's Party (NSi), a coalition of the LDS and DeSUS and the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS) each won two of the seven seats at stake, followed by the ZLSD with one.

2004 State Chamber Election

Prime minister Anton Rop led the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS) into a parliamentary ballot for the first time.

On Jul. 26, Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS) leader Janez Jansa accused the current government of nepotism after a series of patronage appointments carried out during the legislative recess.

On Jul. 30, the SDS and the New Slovenia Christian People's Party (NSi) introduced a no-confidence motion against the government alleging corruption and incompetence. The opposition politicians cited problems with the nation's health care system, and failure to reach promised economic growth levels. Economy minister Matej Lahovnik dismissed the assertion, saying lawmakers had taken actual facts and figures out of context.

Voting went on without any major problems on Oct. 3. Preliminary results gave Jansa's SDS close to 30 per cent of the vote, while the ruling Liberal Democrats had 22 per cent. Turnout was tabled at around 60 per cent.

Rop conceded defeat at a press conference shortly after the polls were closed, saying, "I wish whoever forms the new government the best of luck."

President Janez Drnovsek—who has to appoint a candidate to assemble a new government—said the close results would make it hard to choose a chairman. On Nov. 3, Drnovsek appointed Jansa as prime minister designate.

On Nov. 9, Jansa officially took over as head of government after a 57-27 vote in the State Chamber.

Political Players

President: Janez Drnovsek - LDS
Prime minister: Janez Jansa - SDS

Legislative Branch: The Skupscina Slovenije (Assembly of Slovenia) has two chambers. The Drzavni Zbor (State Chamber) has 90 members, elected to four-year terms; 88 members are elected by proportional representation and two members are elected by ethnic minorities. The Drzavni Svet (State Council) has 40 members; 18 members represent local councils and 22 members represent both commercial and non-commercial interests.

Results of Last Election:

President - Nov. 10 and Dec. 1, 2002.

State Chamber - Oct. 3, 2004

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