Photo: EPA
Slovenian SDS party leader Janez Janša has been elected prime minister after securing a majority vote in the National Assembly, giving him the mandate to form a new government.
During the secret ballot, 51 lawmakers voted in favor of Janša, while 36 voted against. His candidacy was backed by SDS, NSi, SLS, Focus, and the Democrats, which also signed a coalition agreement. The Truth party supported him as well, although it will not join the government.
Janša said his priorities as prime minister will include economic growth, fighting corruption, decentralization, and cutting bureaucracy. He reaffirmed support for Slovenia’s membership in the EU and NATO, while also voicing several moderately eurosceptic views.
The new prime minister called for a militarily stronger Europe capable of responding firmly to threats and stressed that EU enlargement remains a strategic goal. Janša, who has consistently supported Ukraine, said that “if the space of peace does not expand, someone else will.”
The 67-year-old conservative politician is serving his fourth term as Slovenia’s prime minister. He is regarded as one of Central Europe’s most prominent right-wing leaders and is known for maintaining close ties with Donald Trump. Unlike some other conservative leaders in the region, Janša strongly supports Ukraine’s EU membership and visited Kyiv in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
