Close result on Slovenian parliamentary general elections
Sreda, 24. september
Parliamentary general elections in Slovenia were held on Sunday, 21st September. According to the last temporary information, the voter turnout was 63%, which is 3% more than in the year 2004.
29.29% of the voters voted for the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), which is more than in the year 2004 (29.08%). According to the latest temporary calculations, this percentage would bring SDS 28 seats in the assembly which is composed of 90 members. 30.5% of voters voted for the Social Democrats (SD- former communists). The latest projections give them 29 seats in the assembly, which brings them 1 seat ahead of the SDS. The extreme left party Zares (officially a part of the Liberal International) gained 9 seats, Desus (Democratic Party of Retired People), our coalition partner in the last government, gained 7 seats, SLS (Slovenian People’s Party), also our coalition partner in the last government, gained 5 seats. LDS (a member of Liberal International), which was the strongest party for a number of years, gained 5 seats. 2 members of the Parliament, representing the national minorities were elected as well.
The difference between the SD and SDS is only 12 600 votes at the moment. It is important to stress that there are 18 100 spoilt votes. SDS is a relative winner in 5 out of 8 election units. SD has a paper thin advantage only because of its victory in Ljubljana, where during the last pre-election days the left-wing parties organised an aggressive campaign which led to a higher voter turnout.
At the moment we are still waiting for the results from abroad. As the result is so close, those votes might turn it and decide the elections. It is very likely that in the end, the SDS and the SD will have the same number of seats. The results will have been counted by 29th September and we will find out how many out of 48 000 ballots returned to Slovenia. The voters residing abroad usually vote for the right centre parties if judging from the experience from the last elections.
The dirtiest election campaign in Slovenian history has ended. The left parties, under the leadership of former communists, which succeeded to preserve a great deal of their unofficial posts and influence, chose every mean possible to achieve their goals. They offered no real alternative programme during the election campaign. All they could think of was to produce different scandals. Slovenian left parties control most of its media. 90% of print media are owned by two media oligarchs, who are or used to be members of the Social Democrats and the Liberal Democrats.
It all started on 1st September with the Patria scandal which was launched in Finland with the help from the left wing mentors. You were already informed about this issue 2 weeks ago. The only thing which changed since then is that Social democrat’s leader, Borut Pahor clearly stated on the TV debate that our leader Janez Jansa was falsely accused here. Nevertheless, he admitted this only 2 days before the elections, leaving enough time for the left media to operate with the absurd accusation from the Finnish documentary.
The SDS offered the voters a real life programme and succeeded to increase the percentage of votes. We had no media support, and not to mention that the transitional left activated all of its networks. The former president of the Communist Party, Milan Kucan asked the voters only 3 days before the elections to vote against Janez Jansa. Zoran Jankovic, a transitional oligarch, who is now a mayor of Ljubljana, sent the same message to the voters. He used all possible local networks to influence the capital’s voters. The orthodox communist media mentors from the 80’s who are now presidents of different non-governmental organisations called for the change of government from the first pages of newspapers.
The results of the government led by the SDS: the GDP grew by a quarter. The taxes decreased for the first time in independent Slovenia’s history (corporate taxes fell by 5%, personal taxes by 7%, the tax on paid salaries was abolished). The average paid salary grew by 27%, the pensions grew by 20%. The economic growth during our government was exceptionally high, around 5.5% per year. Slovenia created around 40 000 new jobs, the unemployment rate fell to its historical low (4.2% according to ILO). The number of unemployed fell by 35%. The average inflation rate was at its lowest level during our independence. During our term we have met all of the Maastricht criteria. We have introduced Euro as the first new EU member. Slovenia can boast, for the first time in its history, with the budget surplus. Furthermore, our presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of the year is regarded as a success.
SDS International Office, Trstenjakova 8, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 4345 459, Fax: +386 1 4345 452
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