Liberal Slovenian poll winner announces new coalition after defeating conservative leader

LJUBLJANA The head of Slovenia's liberal Freedom Party (GS) said on Wednesday he had reached a coalition agreement with two other parties, weeks after inflicting a crushing poll defeat on conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa.

The newly-founded GS, headed by former businessman Robert Golob, won 41 out of 90 seats in the April 24 general election and is set to form a coalition with two smaller parties, the centre-left Social Democrats (SD) and the leftist Levica party.

Together they will occupy 53 seats in parliament, giving them a majority.

"We've ended a week of intense coordination... and we have agreed on the coalition's programme," Golob told journalists at a press conference.

He added the three parties had also agreed on a list of twenty ministers.

"I believe this government will bring together... the political experience many claim we (in GS) lack, and the great enthusiasm of renowned experts," Golob said.

Golob, a 55-year-old former power company manager, had only launched his bid to become prime minister three months before his triumph at the polls.

He profited from a backlash against incumbent Jansa, a political veteran whom many Slovenians accused of trying to undermine democratic institutions and press freedoms since he returned to power in 2020 for his third spell in office.

Jansa, a close ally of Hungarian nationalist firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban and admirer of former US President Donald Trump, will now become leader of the opposition.

His Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and its ally Nova Slovenija (NSI) together hold 35 seats in the new chamber.

After the new parliament convenes on Friday, President Borut Pahor is expected to task Golob with the formation of a new government.

Once Golob is approved as prime minister by MPS, he will have a two-week period in which to present his cabinet for parliamentary approval.